Becky Crenshaw

Enter His gates with thanksgiving; Go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. Psalm 100:4

PRAISE: (tᵊhillâ) act of general or public adoration. praise (demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God)

Our first study on Go’d attributes kept me in wonder all day long. Seriously. I have pondered God’s self-sufficiency and self-existence several times. I encourage you, as we read through more of the attributes and qualities of God, meditate on them and let them blow your mind. Because they will if you let them. Which is EXACTLY what King David is saying here….

Enter into His courts with tᵊhillâ…. adoration of God because His attributes demand it.

In other words: Be dumbfounded to the point of public song (kinda like Buddy the Elf but better….”I’m singing. I’m in a store and I’m SINGING!”)

When we reflect on His deeds and qualities we just might look a fool for Him.

Here are a few more attributes to get excited about…. Grab your pen. K? K.

God is Omnipotent – He Is All Powerful

“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” Psalm 33:6  

“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. If he comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court, who can oppose him? Surely he recognizes deceivers; and when he sees evil, does he not take note?” Job 11:7-11

Omnipotent means to have unlimited power (omni = all; potent = powerful). God is able and powerful to do anything he wills without any effort on his part.

It’s important to note the “anything he wills” part of that statement, because God cannot do anything that is contradictory or contrary to his nature. Hebrews 6:18 puts it like this: “God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.”

In his devotional Forward, Ron Moore puts it like this: “God’s attribute of omnipotence means that God is able to do all that He desires to do. When He plans something, it will come to be. If He purposes something, it will happen. Nothing can prevent His plan. When His hand is stretched out to do something, no one can turn it back. Omnipotence comes from two Latin words. Omni means “all,” and potens means “powerful.” God’s decisions are always in line with His character, and He has all the power to do whatever He decides to do.”

“Scripture is clear that God is strong and mighty Psalm 24:8. Nothing is too hard for Him to accomplish (see Genesis 18:14, Jeremiah 32:17, 27 and Luke 1:37}. Often God is called “Almighty,” describing Him as the One who possesses all power and authority (2 Cor. 6:18, Revelation 1:8). In fact, Paul says that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” Ephesians 3:20… This is one of my FAVORITE verses of all times, BTW. So much hope.

Immeasurably. More. All. Powerful.

God Is Omniscient – He Is All-Knowing

“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” Is 46:9-10 

God is omniscient, which means he knows everything. Debbie McDaniel writes this about the omniscience of God, “He can be everywhere, at the same time. And He never sleeps or slumbers, He’s aware every moment of every day, exactly what we’re up against. He knows our way, and is with us always. There’s no place on this earth we can go that He doesn’t see and know of.”

Tozer writes, “God perfectly knows Himself and, being the source and author of all things, it follows that He knows all that can be known. And this He knows instantly and with a fullness of perfection that includes every possible item of knowledge concerning everything that exists or could have existed anywhere in the universe at any time in the past or that may exist in the centuries or ages yet unborn.”

Because God is all-knowing, we can trust that he knows everything we’re going through today and everything we will go through tomorrow. When we meditate on this truth, especially in light of his other attributes of goodness and love, it makes it easier to trust him with all we have going on in our lives, from the very serious to the silly and mundane.

God Is Omnipresent – He Is Always Everywhere

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.” Psalm 139:7-10

“‘Am I a God at hand,’ declares the Lord, ‘and not a God afar off? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord” Jeremiah 23:23-24

To be omnipresent is to be in all places, at all times. Yet, it is important to understand that for God “to be” in a place is not the same way we are in a place. “God’s being is all together different from physical matter,” the website Ligonier.org explains, “He exists on a plane wholly distinguishable from the one readily available to the five senses.”

Nevertheless, he is with us, the fullness of his presence is all around us. “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” The psalmist proclaims God’s omnipresence in Psalm 137.

This ought to bring deep comfort to Christians who struggle with loneliness and deep sorrow. In a very real way, God is always near us, “closer than our thoughts,” writes Tozer. “The knowledge that we are never alone calms the troubled sea of our lives and speaks peace to our soul.” (Moms this encourages me…. as I launch my senior this year, God is as much with him as He is with me. His eye ever-watching o’er. Deeeeeep breath. He is with your babies. Always.)

Wow, right? So much good stuff.

Here’s what I want you to do now. Take a journal (are you catching on to the “you need a journal” part?) and go to YOUR Bible. Flip to the passages found in this post – I will write them out for you below, not to worry. And meditate on them. Write them down with your own hand. Highlight them. See them on the paper thin pages of your very own Bible.

This is important.

Websites are great. Love them. But finding these Truths in the actual print of God’s Word can not be replicated. Love to you all.

Psalm 33:6 

Job 11:7-11

Genesis 18:14

Jeremiah 32:17,27

Luke 1:37

2 Cor 6:18

Revelation 1:8

Ephesians 3:20

Isaiah 46:9-10

Psalm 139: 7-10

Jeremiah 23:23-24

Psalm 137

(P.S. again big thanks to Crosswalk staff and BST for writing amazing material on this topic. I am learning along with you all!)