When I speak Your Name...

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

WOW! The name of JESUS... it actually means 'he saves', and we cannot be saved by anyone else. Matthew 1:21 "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[a] because he will save his people from their sins."

[This (Acts 4:12) was one of the first verses that I memorized as a young Christian, and it has become one of my favourite Bible Verses. I have had a frame with the verse in it since I was a little girl. It is now down in my rec room with two others that Mark has had, and are his favourites as well.]

Well, when we speak His name (in reverance & prayer) a lot can happen for us in the physical and in the spiritual. EVERYthing has to bow to the name of Jesus. (Philippians 2:9-11 - "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.") There is no other name among men that has that power. Unfortunately, that's why the name of Jesus is also used not in reverance or prayer. People know that name has power, and when they curse, we do not hear them say "Oh Buddha", or "Oh Joseph Smith". Those religious leaders have all passed on, and unless those folks lived for the name of Jesus, then they are eternally dead, they have NO power today. Jesus however is eternally alive, and has ALL power, and He gives us the same gift. It is indeed a gift that we need to choose to open.

In the Bible, Jesus or God is referred to the "I AM" or "YAHWEH"! The first time this is mentioned is with Moses in Exodus 3, in the Burning Bush encounter. Verse 14 states, "God said to Moses, "I am who I am . This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "" Yahweh is translated, 'I am who I am'. God is it, basically. According to Mark Littleton, in his book, 'The Bible Bathroom Book' he says, "[God] used the words to claim, 'I am the one who exists above and beyond all others. I am the one who exists on his own: I am not dependent on any other.'" Jesus himself, uses the words "I am..." quite a few times in the New Testament. (Click on the verse to take you to Biblegateway.com to read the verse). Jesus says to you today, 'I am...'

1. John 4:25&26 -- '...the Messiah.'
2. John 6:35 & John 6:51-- '...the Bread of Life.'

3. John 8:12 -- '...the Light of the world.'

4. John 8:56-58 -- '...the I am.'

5. John 10:7 -- '...the Gate or the Door.'

6. John 10:11-15 -- '...the Good Shepherd.'

7. John 11:25-27 -- '...the Resurrection & the Life.'

8. John 13:13 -- '...Teacher & Lord.'

9. John 14:6 -- '...the Way, the Truth & the Life.'

10. John 15:1-13 -- '...the Vine.'

11. Revelation 22:13 -- '...the Alpha & Omega, the First & the Last, the Beginning & the End.'

What promises these verses lead to... Jesus IS... that's all I need to know. Whatever I need, He is.

Psalm 148:13 -- "Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens."

Jesus has given us the same authority that the Father gave to Him, but again we need to choose to utilize it in our daily lives. There is power and authority in the NAME of JESUS.

Luke 20:1-8 -- (Click verse to read the Scriptures from Biblegateway.com) In these verses, Jesus' authority was questioned by chief priests, teachers of the law, & elders. Jesus knew that these men were coming on authority of themselves, not of the temple or God (or else they would have known from which His authority came). He answered them with a question of his own, proving their motives for coming. The Word says, "if...", the men had to stop and think about their response. Either response would get them into trouble of some kind, so they replied, "We don't know where it was from". Jesus knew their thoughts and motives replied in all truth, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things", for He knew that they just weren't going to tell him the answer due to circumstances and consequences. WOW! What a thought is this, the church leaders arguing with Jesus about who He in fact is, and under whose authority He is working. So true is some of the church today...

Having the authority of the Father, has given us the power to act in someone else's name... and it's not just any name as we have mentioned. Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." With God giving us the authority to use the name of Jesus, we also have to give Him the glory in all that we do. Too many times we find ourselves praying for healing for example, and the person on the receiving end thanks us for the healing. We NEED to right then and there thank the Lord for the healing. We can accept thanks for being an obedient vessel which allowed God to work through them, or to be one that God could use, but we cannot nor should ever take credit for the healing. The ability to pray using the 'name of Jesus' is not to be taken lightly. There is a matter of the 'heart' for it to be used properly and with the right authority. The attitude of our heart is the main way that we are going to be used by God. Just because one prays 'In Jesus' Name...' doesn't mean what was prayed is going to come to fulfillment. As has been said by many preacher, teacher or speaker, "in Jesus' name" is not a magic chant or a magic potion to be used in tough times. We need to pray in His will for the fulfillment to come about. There are two main scriptures, one in John 14 and one in 1 John 5 you can read below.

John 14:9-14--"Jesus answered: 'Don't you know me, {insert your name here}, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.' "

1 John 5:13-15--"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

There are a lot of promises in the Bible stating things that God will do. However, in most cases there is an "If you..." before or after them. Too many of us want to slide on the coat-tails of other Christians or Christians who have gone before us. We have to discover the truth of Jesus, His life, His love & His miracles for ourselves. We need to do our part in the equation for the complete fulfillment of His promises. One thing we know is that God is faithful & true, so we know in our knower that He WILL do. In fact, in most cases, He will do 'exceeding abundantly more'. (Ephesians 3:20 KJV)

For more information you can check out, http://www.learnthebible.org/praying-in-the-name-of-jesus.html or just Google "in Jesus' name" or "power in the name of Jesus".

I close with the song "When I Speak Your Name" by GATEWAY WORSHIP... written by Elizabeth Clark / Klaus Kuehn

I pray that you will begin to use the AUTHORITY given to you to glorify God in all that you think, say and do! But first remember you have to get your heart right, and have the right heart attitude seeking after the Will of the Father, not your own. Be blessed as you walk in the power of His name!

TRAIN or TURN? -- January 16th, 2010

“POINTS TO PONDER” – January 16th
Written by M. Hall
Please feel free to agree or disagree with points made, and feel free to comment if so desired.
If you would like, you could write your own thoughts on the verse of the day, and include that in your own comments below. Thank you and may you be blessed!! =)

TRAIN or TURN?

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

Proverbs 22:6 NIV

The verb “train” in this sentence means (according to dictionary.com);
To develop or form the habits, thoughts or behaviour of (a child or other person) by discipline and instruction; to make proficient by instruction and practice, as in some art, profession or work; to make (a person) fit by proper exercise, diet, practice, etc., as for an athletic performance; to discipline and instruct (an animal), as in the performance of tasks or tricks; to treat or manipulate so as to bring into some desired form, position, direction, etc; [horticulture] to bring (a plant, branch, etc) into a particular shape or position, by bending, pruning or the like; to bring to bear on some object; point, aim, or direct as a firearm, camera, telescope or eye; to entice, allure.


WOW! Training a child can be a difficult task. Think of all the things that they need training for, toilet training, training to walk, training to read, etc. They do not however need training to CRY. One of the first things that babies can and will do by themselves is to CRY. It is the easiest thing to do.


(Editor’s SideNote: *This devotional was going to be about training our children, so that they will not turn, however it is also taking a new direction thanks to the Holy Spirit. We need to teach ourselves, and our children to cry out once again!*)


Why is CRYING so hard for us to do as adults? CRYING itself is seen as a form of weakness. CRYING OUT to God is what He desires. We need to listen to the Father’s heart, and CRY out to Him for what we desire, but also for what He desires for us. We need to train our children to cry out for what they need. Unfortunately, we learn its not okay to cry. When there are babies crying in their cribs, crying and crying, as parents/caregivers we are taught time and again to ignore them, and they will eventually stop. Why do WE get so frustrated when we cry out, and think that God is not listening or acting on our behalf? God our Father does not ignore our cries, he bottles our tears. He hears our cries, and responds accordingly. We can always CRY out to Him! Lord we cry out for Your Grace and Mercy and Love!


The Bible has been translated many times since it was first written and inspired of the Lord. When things get translated, and re-worded many times sometimes they lose their original meaning, as in the infamous ‘Telephone Game’. In the MESSAGE, which I do like because it is in ‘readable and understandable’ English, this verse takes on a whole new meaning. It says, “Point your kids in the right direction— when they're old they won't be lost.” This version is the one I believe that some (a high percentage unfortunately) are following. There is a BIG difference between ‘pointing your kids in the right direction’ and ‘training your kids in the way they should go’. If you are put in charge of a heavy piece of machinery for example, would you want someone just to point the way that you should go, or would you actually like them to train you and show you how to use it?


Pointing the way to go, may seem helpful at the time, in the sense of the times when you ask people for directions to a place. But pointing is not really helpful, especially if you have no knowledge of the places you will be going, or even passing by for that matter. For me, giving directions and I don’t get along too well. I use LANDMARKS instead of street names most times. I do know the street names, but sometimes I cannot picture the intersection for example, unless you use a landmark. McDonalds, Malls/Plazas, etc… are good landmarks for me to know where you are talking about. North, South, East and West have no bearing for me either. (no pun intended). This is the same with children, or other people (for that matter). They have to have prior knowledge of the ‘area’ or even better, have a MAP to the places they are going. If you have a MAP or directions written down you can find the ‘place you want to go’ easier, and you have less of a chance of getting lost. Sooner or later, you will have ‘memorized’ the map and the directions, and it will be common knowledge, so that you can know go to the places you need to go.


Such is the life of a CHRISTIAN… a true Christ follower. On our own, we are left to be pointed the direction to go. We are given two directions… one leads to life, and one to death. Obviously any right-minded person would choose life, however unfortunately most don’t. We are given the options, but truly have no knowledge of either place. THE BIBLE is the MAP that has been given to EVERYONE (not just Christians), because we all were LOST. (Romans 3:23 –“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.") But Christians (true Christians) are the ones that choose to follow the map’s directions, and are no longer LOST. (“In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” –Read Matthew 18:12-14.) They ‘memorize’ the Scriptures and ‘directions’ in the map, and soon it becomes common knowledge in their physical mind and spirit. They now know which path to follow, and how to get there. Unfortunately, for us, the path to follow is a difficult one, and the other path looks oh so easy and more fun.


This is a lesson that needs to be TRAINED in people both young and old. However, if you train your children when they are young, they will hold on to what they know, and it will become common knowledge as was said above. They choose the path they wish to take, not just by us pointing the direction, but by us coming alongside them training them in the ways of the Lord. We need to come alongside any and everyone, physical children, and spiritual children.


The first definition of ‘train’ above says, “To develop or form the habits, thoughts or behaviour of (a child or other person) by discipline and instruction.” Our habits, thoughts and behaviours DEVELOP. Developing is a process. It doesn’t just happen. As I said in the beginning, training is a difficult task. Using the example of photography, a photographer isn’t just going to develop his film by ‘pointing’ the film to the developing room. He has to physically walk with it, and put it in the solution, and WAIT. Waiting is something that we as 21st century adults have no time for. However, I want to make the point that we have no time to WASTE.


Our children need us. [For future reference, when I use the word ‘children’ it can mean both ‘physical children’(those age 0-17) or ‘spiritual children’ (those who are babies in the faith and also those who you have taken under your wing.)] This is why such things as mentoring are important, but also why Sunday School, and Saturday/Sunday services should be an important part in the lives of our ‘Children’. These are places where are children are equipped and trained.


Too many times our children are ‘pointed’ in the way to go, or they are unfortunately ‘trained’ in the wrong sense of the word. So many children have been trained according to some of the definitions above, “to discipline and instruct (an animal), as in the performance of tasks or tricks; to treat or manipulate so as to bring into some desired form, position, direction, etc”. Some of our children have been manipulated or treated as animals and this is NOT how they should be treated. However, because of this we need to gain their faith and trust back, so we must assume caution when dealing with them.


One of the best definitions of ‘train’ is regarding horticulture, and you may think that has nothing to do with training children, but it certainly does. The definition states, “to bring (a plant, branch, etc) into a particular shape or position, by bending, pruning or the like.” In the Bible, we are likened unto branches. Jesus tells us in John 15 verses 1-8, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” The Father prunes us like branches, training us in His ways. We are trained through this pruning, and bending. He stretches us in ways we will and can not even imagine. Which we really shouldn’t be shocked about, because in Ephesians 3:20 it states, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” The Father knows what is best for us, and just like our physical parents He disciplines us and trains us for the work that He has for us to accomplish. BUT, we need to be trained to follow His ways, before He can and will direct and lead us in our lives. If we do trust in Him and come to the ‘COMMON KNOWLEDGE” of His map and ways, He will in fact lead and direct our path in ways to righteousness. (Proverbs 3:5-6 and Matthew 6:33.)


One good thing to note is that if you were not TRAINED properly, you can TURN your life around. One of the definitions of ‘turn’ is ‘to change or alter the course of’. God does allow U-turns. Turning back to Him is also a great course to follow. There are U-turns in the MAP. See the book of Jonah for more info.


Prayer:
WOW! Praise you Lord for the words from Your Word and Your Spirit. May it be used to Your glory, and to further Your Kingdom. Lord, I thank You for Your ways, which are definitely higher than my ways. I thank you for Your plans for my life, and those whom I love. Help me to help equip the ‘next generation’ of Your children (physical children and spiritual children). Help me to dig into your “Map of Life”, and let Your Word become ‘common knowledge’ in me. Encourage me as I encourage others to choose your path of righteousness. Thank You Lord for all Your many benefits and blessings that You have given and will give to us, most of all being the life of Your precious Son Jesus, and it is in His name that I pray all these things and more. AMEN!


BE BLESSED as you sow GOOD seeds and keep CRYIN’ out to God!