About the author

Allyson Holland

Allyson Holland is a lifestyle blogger. She has written for The Mighty.com, Publishous.com, PublishousNow.com, Medium.com, The Assent.com, and Bible.org. Married for 33 years, she and her husband, John, enjoy spending time with their five adult children and serving together as leaders of the marriage ministry Re-Engage. They recently moved from the Dallas area to enjoy country living southeast of Dallas on Cedar Creek Lake, and they attend Lake Community Fellowship in Athens, Texas. Suffering from the chronic disease RSD/CRPS, Ally is passionate about God’s redemptive work in the lives of those who suffer with physical and emotional pain. She is a former Director of Ministry to Women and former board member for Thrive Ministry. You can connect with Ally on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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Articles by Allyson Holland

10 Names of God and What They Mean

10 Names of God and What They Mean

December 8, 2022

In the Bible, God is referred to by various names, each revealing different facets of His character and attributes. These names are not merely titles but hold deep significance, offering insights into God's nature and His relationship with humanity. The multiplicity of names for God in the biblical texts serves several important purposes.

Names of God in the Bible:

  1. Elohim (God)
  2. Elohim Chayim (The Living God)
  3. Abba (Father)
  4. Jehovah-Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
  5. Jehovah-Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
  6. El Elyon (The Most High God)
  7. El Kanna (The Jealous God)
  8. El Roi (The God Who Sees)
  9. Jehovah Ro'i (God the Shepherd)
  10. Jehovah Nissi (The Lord, Our Banner)

“O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9)

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in you.” (Psalm 9:10)

How well do you know God? His character? His heart? 

It’s not enough to know about God. You can become intimately acquainted with Him through His biblical names. When you understand the meanings of God’s names, you will understand His character and heart. He wants you to know Him. He wants to be in a close personal relationship with you. 

Better know these ten names of God and their meanings: 

Photo courtesy: Unsplash.com

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A Biblical Guide to the 12 Disciples of Jesus

A Biblical Guide to the 12 Disciples of Jesus

March 12, 2019

The Bible teaches us that the original apostles of Jesus were Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Judas Iscariot, Matthew, Thomas, James, the son of Alpheus, Bartholomew, Judas Thaddeus, and Simon Zelotes. Among these were fishermen during the time of calling, i.e., Peter, James, John, and Andrew.

It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named apostles. (Luke 6:12-13) 

Twelve men responded to the call to be disciples of Jesus. They were Jews, uneducated commoners, and simple men of faith who gave up everything to be followers of Christ. Jesus spent three years training these men to be leaders. Jesus planned to eventually have the disciples take over and carry on the work He had started.

What we know to be true about Jesus is that He chose ordinary and unrefined men to be his apostles. They were the commonest of the common. They were from rural areas, farmers, and fishermen. Christ purposely passed over the elite, aristocratic, and influential men of society and chose mostly the men from the dregs of society. That’s how it has always been in God’s economy. He exalts the humble and lays low on those who are proud.

The Names of the 12 Disciples

We find the disciples' names in the Gospel books of Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:14-19 and Luke 6:13-16.

You didn’t choose me. I chose you. (John 15:16)

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: 

  1. The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and 
  2. Andrew his brother; and 
  3. James the son of Zebedee, and 
  4. John his brother; 
  5. Philip and 
  6. Bartholomew (Nathanael); 
  7. Thomas and 
  8. Matthew the tax collector; 
  9. James the son of Alphaeus (James the Less), and 
  10. Thaddaeus (Judas, son of James); 
  11. Simon the Zealot, and 
  12. Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him. (Matthew 10:2-4)

Now that we know their names let's take a deeper look at the life story of each disciple.

Although the disciples were different, they were known for their unwavering faith when the Early Church began. Need to strengthen your faith in this season? Download our FREE 30-day guide to grow your faith today.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/jovanjaric

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