Hello, My Name Is: Discovering Yahweh and the Power of Knowing God Personally

As a pastor, there are moments when God begins to shift not just what I’m preaching—but how I’m seeing Him. This message marked the beginning of one of those shifts. After coming out of a powerful season of prayer and fasting, I felt the Lord leading us into something deeper—not just what God does, but who He is. Because at the end of the day, your experience with God will always be shaped by your understanding of Him.

That’s why we launched this series, “Hello, My Name Is.” And the foundation of it is this simple but life-altering truth: the God you know is the God you see.

If you see God as distant, you’ll live like He’s uninvolved. If you see Him as angry, you’ll live in fear. If you see Him as loving, faithful, and personal, you’ll begin to walk in confidence, freedom, and purpose.

I’ve lived this personally. I grew up with a fear-based view of God. I thought He was constantly waiting for me to mess up, ready to punish me. And that mindset didn’t lead me closer to Him—it actually pushed me further away. It wasn’t fear that brought me back to God. It was a revelation of His love, grace, and mercy.

And that’s what this message is about: discovering who God really is—starting with His personal name, Yahweh.

Four Foundational Sub-Topics of Knowing God’s Name
To fully understand this message, there are four key sub-topics that shape our understanding of God’s identity:

• The Importance of Knowing God Personally (Not Just Theologically)
• The Meaning and Power of the Name Yahweh
• God’s Character: Compassion, Faithfulness, and Justice
• Living in a Covenant Relationship with God

Each of these reveals not just information about God, but an invitation into a relationship with Him.

The God You Know Is the God You See
One of the most important truths I shared in this message is this: your perception of God shapes your reality.

Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.” But what does it mean to delight in Him? It means to take joy in who He is—His character, His nature, His presence.

If your understanding of God is shallow, your relationship with Him will be shallow.
I’ve watched this play out in my own life. As a teenager, I lived in fear of judgment. That fear didn’t produce transformation—it produced rebellion. But when I encountered the truth that God forgives completely—that He doesn’t hold my past against me—that changed everything.

There was a moment during a 21-day fast where God spoke to me clearly: “I don’t remember those things anymore.” That revelation broke something off my life.
Because many of us live like God remembers what He already forgave.
But Scripture tells us otherwise. When God forgives, He wipes the slate clean. And when you begin to understand that, you stop living in shame and start living in freedom.

From Elohim to Yahweh: Understanding God’s Personal Name
In the beginning of Scripture, God is introduced as Elohim—the Creator, the all-powerful God. But while that tells us what He can do, it doesn’t fully reveal who He is.
That changes in Exodus 3.

When Moses encounters God in the burning bush, something profound happens. God reveals His personal name: YHWH (Yahweh).
This name is so holy that ancient translators wouldn’t even write it out fully. Instead, they replaced it with “LORD” in all capital letters—something we still see in our Bibles today.
But here’s what’s powerful: Yahweh is not just a title—it’s an invitation into a relationship.

God wasn’t just saying, “Here’s what I do.”
 He was saying, “Here’s who I am—and I want you to know Me personally.”

And even more fascinating, this name is tied to breath. When spoken without vowels, it mirrors the rhythm of breathing. It’s as if every breath you take is a reminder of His presence.

As Psalm 150 says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
That means every person—whether they realize it or not—is sustained by the very presence of God. If you want to go deeper into passages like this, explore our Scripture readings for guided time in God's Word.

God in the Middle of Your Struggle
One of the most powerful moments in this story is the burning bush itself.
The bush was on fire—but it wasn’t consumed.

And here’s the revelation: the bush was a thorn bush, which in Scripture represents the curse—pain, suffering, and the result of sin.

So what is God showing Moses?

He’s saying:
 “I am in the middle of your suffering—and it will not consume you.”

That’s a word for someone reading this right now.
Whatever you’re walking through—stress, anxiety, hardship, uncertainty—God is not distant from it. He is present in it.

And not only is He present—He’s working through it.

Statistics from the American Psychological Association show that over 75% of adults report experiencing significant stress regularly. In a culture overwhelmed by pressure and uncertainty, the idea of a distant God only adds to the burden. But the biblical picture of Yahweh is completely different—He is near, involved, and attentive.

He sees you.
He hears you.
And He is with you.

Yahweh Revealed: Compassion, Mercy, and Faithfulness
As God continues revealing Himself to Moses in Exodus 34, He begins to describe His character:

• Compassionate
• Merciful
• Slow to anger
• Abounding in love and faithfulness

This is critical.
Because many people assume God is primarily angry or distant. But God describes Himself differently.

In my own life, I’ve experienced this over and over again. Not just once—but daily. His mercy is not limited—it’s renewed every morning.
And yet, God is also just. He does not ignore sin—but He provides a way through it.
This balance—grace and truth—is what makes God trustworthy.

According to Pew Research, while belief in God remains high in the United States, fewer people report having a personal relationship with Him. That gap matters. Because knowing about God is not the same as knowing Him. To understand the theological foundation of who God is and what we believe about Him, visit our " What We Believe " page.

And Yahweh is inviting you into something deeper than belief—He’s inviting you into a relationship.

The God of Covenant: A Promise You Can Trust
One of the most powerful aspects of God’s name is what it represents: covenant.
A covenant is not just a promise—it’s a binding commitment.

As I shared in this message:
 “A covenant is God voluntarily binding Himself to a promise and obligating Himself to act according to His nature.”

That means:

• If He says He’s faithful—He will be faithful
• If He says He’s your provider, He will provide
• If He says He’s your healer—He will heal

This is why God says, “I am who I am.”
He is everything you need when you need it.
And through Jesus, we now live in the fulfillment of that covenant. Jesus didn’t abolish the promises of God—He fulfilled them.

Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
That means this relationship is available to everyone.
No background required.
No perfection required.
Just surrender.

Your Next Step: Responding to Who God Is
So here’s the real question:
Do you know God—or do you just know about Him?

Because there’s a difference.
You can attend church, hear messages, and still not experience Him personally. But when you begin to understand who Yahweh is—when you realize He is personal, present, faithful, and for you—it changes everything.

At Passionate Life Church, this is our heart: to lead people into an entirely devoted life with Jesus Christ. And that starts with knowing Him—not just intellectually, but relationally. One of the best places to grow in that relational knowledge is through our life groups, where real community and real conversations about faith happen every week.

If you’re in the Littleton, Colorado area, I want to personally invite you to join us. Come experience a community where you can grow, be encouraged, and encounter God in a real way. Join us every Sunday at 9:00 AM or 10:30 AM at 10393 W Alamo Pl.

If you’ve never made the decision to follow Jesus—or maybe it’s time to come back—this is your moment. Take your next step and let us walk with you from here.
Because the God you know is the God you will see.

And when you truly know Yahweh, you’ll begin to see Him move in every area of your life.