My God: A Declaration of Personal Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Claiming God as Our Own

The phrase "my God" signifies a personal and intimate relationship with the Creator, transcending mere acknowledgment to a heartfelt declaration of faith and allegiance. It is a profound expression of trust and commitment, marking a believer's journey from idolatry to faith in the living God. This declaration is not just a creed but a personal recognition of God's sovereignty and presence in our lives. For the young convert, like Ruth, it marks a turning point from idolatry to faith in the living God. For the seasoned believer, it is a reaffirmation of trust and commitment, as seen in the confession of Thomas, who, upon seeing the resurrected Christ, exclaimed, "My Lord and my God." [04:07]

Psalm 73:25-26 (ESV): "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Reflection: Think of a moment when you felt distant from God. How can you intentionally draw near to Him today and reaffirm your personal relationship with Him?

Day 2: God as Our Lifeline in Trials

In times of trial and distress, the words "my God" serve as a lifeline, anchoring the believer in the assurance of God's presence and faithfulness. This declaration becomes a source of strength and hope, even in the darkest moments, as exemplified by Jesus on the cross. Even in His moment of deepest anguish, He clung to the assurance of His relationship with the Father. Similarly, in moments of deliverance, like Daniel in the lion's den, the expression "my God" becomes a triumphant proclamation of God's faithfulness and power. [19:01]

Isaiah 43:2 (ESV): "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."

Reflection: Identify a current trial you are facing. How can you lean on God as your lifeline and find strength in His presence today?

Day 3: Proclaiming God's Power in Deliverance

The expression "my God" is not only a statement of belief but also a triumphant proclamation in moments of deliverance and victory. It reflects the believer's recognition of God's power and faithfulness, as seen in the experiences of biblical figures like Daniel. To say "my God" is to acknowledge God's infinite nature and attributes as personally relevant and accessible. It is to recognize His omniscience, omnipotence, and unchanging nature as intimately involved in our lives. [22:18]

2 Samuel 22:31-32 (ESV): "This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?"

Reflection: Recall a time when you experienced God's deliverance. How can you share this testimony of His power and faithfulness with someone today?

Day 4: Embracing God's Infinite Nature

To claim God as "my God" is to embrace His infinite nature and attributes as personally relevant and accessible. It involves recognizing His omniscience, omnipotence, and unchanging nature as intimately involved in our lives, transforming our understanding and experience of Him. This personal appropriation of God transforms our understanding and experience of Him, making His promises and presence a source of unending joy and strength. [37:26]

Job 11:7-9 (ESV): "Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea."

Reflection: Consider one attribute of God that you find difficult to comprehend. How can you seek to understand and embrace this aspect of His nature more fully today?

Day 5: Finding Joy and Strength in God's Promises

The personal appropriation of God through the phrase "my God" enriches the believer's spiritual journey, making His promises and presence a source of unending joy and strength. It is a declaration that transcends circumstances, offering comfort and assurance in both trials and triumphs. This personal relationship with God transforms our understanding and experience of Him, making His promises and presence a source of unending joy and strength. [33:32]

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV): "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places."

Reflection: Reflect on a promise of God that brings you joy. How can you hold onto this promise and let it strengthen you in your current circumstances?

Sermon Summary

In reflecting on the profound words "my God" from Psalm 91:2, we delve into the richness and depth of what it means to claim God as our own. This expression is not merely a statement of belief but a declaration of a personal, intimate relationship with the Creator. It is akin to finding a treasure so precious that words fail to convey its full sweetness and value. Just as one might struggle to describe the beauty of a sublime landscape or the taste of the finest honey, so too do we grapple with expressing the fullness of what it means to say "my God."

Throughout sacred history, these words have been a confession of faith, a declaration of allegiance, and a source of comfort in times of distress. For the young convert, like Ruth, it marks a turning point from idolatry to faith in the living God. For the seasoned believer, it is a reaffirmation of trust and commitment, as seen in the confession of Thomas, who, upon seeing the resurrected Christ, exclaimed, "My Lord and my God." This declaration is not just a creed but a personal recognition of God's sovereignty and presence in our lives.

In times of trial, the words "my God" have been a lifeline, as demonstrated by Jesus on the cross. Even in His moment of deepest anguish, He clung to the assurance of His relationship with the Father. Similarly, in moments of deliverance, like Daniel in the lion's den, the expression "my God" becomes a triumphant proclamation of God's faithfulness and power.

To say "my God" is to acknowledge God's infinite nature and attributes as personally relevant and accessible. It is to recognize His omniscience, omnipotence, and unchanging nature as intimately involved in our lives. This personal appropriation of God transforms our understanding and experience of Him, making His promises and presence a source of unending joy and strength.

Key Takeaways

1. The phrase "my God" signifies a personal and intimate relationship with the Creator, transcending mere acknowledgment to a heartfelt declaration of faith and allegiance. It is a profound expression of trust and commitment, marking a believer's journey from idolatry to faith in the living God. [04:07]
2. In times of trial and distress, the words "my God" serve as a lifeline, anchoring the believer in the assurance of God's presence and faithfulness. This declaration becomes a source of strength and hope, even in the darkest moments, as exemplified by Jesus on the cross. [19:01]
3. The expression "my God" is not only a statement of belief but also a triumphant proclamation in moments of deliverance and victory. It reflects the believer's recognition of God's power and faithfulness, as seen in the experiences of biblical figures like Daniel. [22:18]
4. To claim God as "my God" is to embrace His infinite nature and attributes as personally relevant and accessible. It involves recognizing His omniscience, omnipotence, and unchanging nature as intimately involved in our lives, transforming our understanding and experience of Him. [37:26]
5. The personal appropriation of God through the phrase "my God" enriches the believer's spiritual journey, making His promises and presence a source of unending joy and strength. It is a declaration that transcends circumstances, offering comfort and assurance in both trials and triumphs. [33:32]
** [33:32]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Introduction to the Theme
[01:02] - The Inexpressible Beauty of God's Word
[02:22] - The Sweetness of Scripture
[03:20] - The Spirit's Role in Understanding
[04:07] - Ruth's Confession of Faith
[06:00] - True Conversion and God's Sovereignty
[07:41] - The Christian's Belief and Confession
[09:05] - Thomas' Declaration of Christ's Divinity
[13:06] - Micaiah's Bold Stand for God
[15:08] - The Unchanging God of Israel
[18:16] - Comfort in Times of Trouble
[21:13] - Proclaiming God in Deliverance
[23:53] - The Personal Claim of "My God"
[35:07] - The Incomprehensible Nature of God

Sermon Clips

if you were to find honey in a wood and should wish to give some of it to your friends I can imagine you're cautiously taking it up in your hands and carrying it very carefully and yet when you reach the company you would find to your sorrow that a large part of it had oozed out between your fingers so that you had failed to convey to others what was so delicious to yourself [00:00:14]

first this is the young converts early confession the instance we will give is Ruth who lovingly said to Naomi where thou dwellest I will dwell whether thou goest I will go where thou lodgist I will Lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my God that last resolution was the a vowel of a spiritual change [00:03:58]

no man is truly converted until God takes his right place in relationship to him the wicked forget God the men of Belial defy God the Infidel denies God but the child of God owns God submits to his authority and gives him the Throne of his heart he does not give the Lord a secondary place and permits self to be first [00:06:16]

take Thomas for the illustration he has been very skeptical poor Thomas he seems to have had too much brain and too little heart he was always for fighting his way through intricate questions and for answering tough objections had he been alive now if the grace of God had not improved him he would have been a modern thought Divine [00:07:59]

when our dear Lord and Master was in his greatest woe when all the waves and Billows of judgment were going over his soul the exclamation which came from him at the climax of his grief was my God my God true it was attended with the question why hast Thou forsaken me but still as with a two-handed grip he seemed to get a hold of God [00:18:32]

the man who can say my God is a match for death and Hell by that watch word he shall Master sin and overthrow all the hosts of The World the Flesh and the devil in this signed I may just conquer the watchword of Victory is my God [00:20:39]

when Miriam took a timbrel and went forth in the dance because God had overthrown pharaoh and his hosts she sang a song which Moses had composed for her and you will remember that one of the verses was he is my God and I will prepare him a habitation my father's God and I will exalt him [00:21:15]

he is not a God in Cloudland to us he is intensely real and true he is a god with whom we speak a God who calls himself our friend Our Father The God Who invites us to come and reason with him a God who assures us of the love of his heart a God who tells us his secrets for the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him [00:28:57]

the pith of the matter lies in this my God means that we have appropriated him to ourselves we take him by a daring Act of Faith to be henceforth God to us and all that he is we take to be ours forever and ever may we do this Brethren may we do this oh yes appropriating faith is warranted in the Covenant [00:31:10]

we expect in heaven to say my God still more positively beloved how boldly we shall say it there no sin no doubts no clouds to divide us from him then shall we know that the infinite Jehovah is ours to enjoy forever and ever no it is not crowns of gold it is not music of the sweetest Harps it is not palm branches or white Robes of victory [00:33:28]

what God does is great what God has is great but what God is is far more than what he does or has because he can do and have infinitely more than he ever has done or has created yet it is God himself and what he is which is ours forever and ever in grasping the Lord by faith and saying he is mine what a sweet the soul has made [00:34:55]

if you could call God your own you would love the Sabbath supremely because you would say it is my day because it is the Lord's Day the day of my Risen Savior he has taken it to himself and then closed its hours for his own and now henceforth I prize its earliest and its latest moments because they are his [00:40:50]

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