The Name of Jesus

Ecclesiastes 7:1

A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

Have you ever thought of how your name came to be?  Why did my parents choose to call me Steve?  Some reasons could be... To carry an ancestor's name. To carry a meaning for the parents. It could be that the parents just loved a certain name. There could be a number of reasons for the name that you carry today.  Either way, your parents chose to call you this because it seemed good to them. 

The good in a name will not be the way it sounds or rolls off the tongue. Our scripture this morning tells us about the effects of a good name. But to have that "good name", it takes character. Men and women that have lived good, or right, carry a good name or reputation. This scripture deals more with what a good name could be rather than how to have a good name. Many, many people want a name that will be remembered or famous. People seek the fame and attention for their names. They want the marquees and billboards to be lit up with there names pasted all over them. But how many of those names are good? How many are names you could actually look to for guidance?

The Bible tells us in Matthew 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins."  His name shall be called JESUS! SAVIOR! The name of Jesus brings healing to a sin infected world. His name is not Neosporin that heals a wound, but it is the precious blood that removes the sin. The name of Jesus is one that is better than ointment to the leper. A name that is better than ointment to a sickness. A name that carries the stripes with which we are healed. A name that bears the  scars with which our guilt is removed. A name that has been spoken throughout the years and still remains undefiled. A name that when spoken can calm the fever stricken body. At the name of JESUS!  

Makes me sing...

Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name

Master, Savior, Jesus, like the fragrance after the rain

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus let all Heaven and Earth proclaim

Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but there's something about that name

Call Ahead

1 Peter 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time

Doctor appointments, dinner appointments, dates with your spouse, etc... We all have appointed times for our lives. Nothing compares to calling ahead and reserving a spot though. Scheduling a doctor appointment is the best thing to do if you want to be seen quicker, well at some places. Calling ahead at the resturaunt can be very beneficial also. 

Look at the blessed hope of Jesus Christ. Scriptures tell us that The Lord has saved us through this lively hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He saved us from our deadness of sin unto life eternal in Him. Not to a pew of the local church to sit and do nothing. Not to castle on the hills of Scotland. Not to a high rise apartment in the biggest city of the world. But to an inheritance!  One that is incorruptible, undefiled, never fading and reserved! (Insert Hallelujah here)  

God has something for us in, or through, His will. He has made us heirs with Him. If we are heirs, then we have access to the benefits of what He has reserved for His children. Men haven't touched it to corrupt it. Flesh has not influenced it to defile it or cause it to fade or die. No one else's name could have been on the reservation than the name of Jesus. 

Do you think we will ever receive these benefits? If we have called ahead, then yes we will. I know that sometimes the waiting is the hardest part, but it is worth the wait. The scripture says we are kept by the power of God. How? Through faith unto salvation. It also says it's ready to be revealed in the last time. What an inheritance! What a blessing! Thank you Jesus!   Have you called ahead? If not, call upon Him right now. 

One more thing, notice how we came to obtain this inheritance... "according to His abundant mercy..." (insert one more Hallelujah)

King of the Hill

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Back in my day you could sit on the front porch on a Saturday morning and hear these words... "I'm King Of The Hill". Well, usually it was my brother yelling that while I was rolling down the hill. It was a game to see who could make it to the top of the hill first. But the game didn't stop there. If you made it first, this didn't mean an instant or forever victory. Many times as a child I was quick and would make it to the top first. Only to have my brother, who was much stronger than me, come to the top and throw me as far as he could off of the hill. I would get up and run back to the top and quickly find myself rolling back down. I can remember him standing there with his arms folded waiting on my attempt again and again. I never made it back to the top of the hill by myself. There were some glimpses of victory when multiple people would play and I could sneak to the backside, but as soon as he turned, well you know. 

The other day I was reading about the fall of creation, and it hit me. Ever since the beginning of creation there has been a race to the top of the hill. Satan tried for the hill and fell to earth and sought vengeance. As he saw Eve one day, the time had finally come. Eve reached for the fruit in lust and fell to sin... Adam disobeyed God and fell to sin and death... It had finally seemed that Satan had now made it back to the top of the hill. He had achieved his task of causing division between God and man. He also caused division between man and woman. It seemed like he was rolling them off the hill left and right. Laughing atop with his arms folded in victory. 

Later in our scriptures (John 18-19), it seems as if Satan had done it again!  He has God's very own Son bleeding and suffering from a beating at the hands of the strong Romans. He is kicking and spitting on him from the crowd of unbelievers. Satan has Jesus' sweat and blood pouring out upon the ground that God created. He is whipping him with the cords of a Roman soldier while he tracks up a hill called Calvary. After he falls down, a man picks up his cross and helps him finish the walk to death. Now he stands over him while the soldiers drive nails into is body. It seemed as if every time Jesus gathered his strength, Satan was there to throw him off the hill. As Jesus' life is fleeting, he calls out to the Father and says, "It Is Finished". Satan now laughs and cheers. Screams are heard from the flames of Hell and Satan stands there with arms folded in a sense of victory. 

But can I tell you again that the scriptures go on (John 20)... They teach us that Jesus was buried but rose again on the third day. Jesus didn't sneak back up the hill and catch Satan by surprise. He walked up the hill. He took the beating. He took the spitting. He took the mocking. He took the nails. It may have seemed like he was loosing ground, but He Never Did!  He took the pain and the death, but rose again the Victor!

This morning rejoice in the fact that Jesus... IS THE KING OF THE HILL CALLED CALVARY! Never will Satan overthrow Him! but there is something different about this King of the hill. He doesn't stand there with His arms folded in victory. No! They are stretched out in victory for you. Reaching to pull you up to himself. Thank you Jesus for being my King.  I love you. 

Dumb Ways to Die

John 8:24

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

My boys showed me an app game a few months ago. It's called, "Dumb Ways to Die". I really didn't know what to expect when they were showing it to me because of the title. But it's a simple game that teaches them to be safe around trains and to use common sense around dangerous things. Like using fire around your hair, putting a fork in a toaster, eating two day old unrefrigerated pies, pushing red buttons that you don't know what they are connected to, poking a grizzly bear with a stick, eat medicine that's out of date... the list goes on and on. 

Well this morning all I can think of is the dumbest way to die. It would be to die in your sins. Have you ever given any thought to what happens to you after death?  The Word of God is clear on this. 

Hebrews 9:27

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

I know you don't want to think of this, but if you died today, would you die in your sins or in the Lord?  Because those are actually the only two ways to die. Our scripture this morning says if we believe not that Jesus is Christ we will die still in our sins and spend an eternity separated from God in Hell. If we have trusted Jesus as our Savior, we will die in the Lord. 

Revelation 14:13

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Apparently there are many dumb ways to die, but only one that could be damaging and damning for an eternity. It would be to die without Jesus while in your sins. Confess to Him right now. Trust upon Him for your salvation. Give your whole heart and life to Him this morning. 

The Next Day

John 1:29

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John the Baptist was baptizing people in the river if Jordan. He was the prophesied forerunner of Jesus. Which means he preached about preparing the way for the coming of Jesus. John was preaching and sharing about repentance. He told the people that they needed to make the crooked paths straight and prepare to meet God. I can see him now... Long robe, soaking wet from the many baptisms. Burly beard with stains of honey and locusts. Asking people to come to the truth and to accept the message. 

John begin to tell of the Messiah who would come after him. He told of how he would one day rule all nations. Imagine the days that came and went. Day after day, minute by minute people continue and hear that we need to get ready. 

Then in a day he least expected, here comes Jesus around the side of the mountain. John catches eyes with Jesus and says some of my favorite words throughout the whole Bible. "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world". 

Behold (look), the Lamb of God (Jesus), who takes away the sin of the world. But look at something else this morning. Look at where the scripture is this morning. 

So many days we talk about Jesus coming again. What of it was tomorrow?  I imagine it went something like this.,, while they were talking of the coming of Jesus, boom, here comes Jesus walking up. 

The Bible says it was the next day. Can you stop for a moment and imagine what it would be like if Jesus comes tomorrow.  What if you knew the rapture will take place tomorrow?  Would you live like it?  What if you knew that your life would end and Jesus would be standing ready for you and He was the first one that you see?  

You know what?  It could be tomorrow. It could be the next day, the next breath, the next blink or twinkling of an eye. Jesus is coming soon!

Easy Like Sunday Morning

2 Timothy 2:3

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Lionel Richie's breakup might have been easy, easy like a Sunday morning but being a Christian isn't. I have heard so many people say that the Christian life is so easy. They say that God handles everything, which is implying that He doesn't allow any difficulties to come your way. Preachers have reduced their messages of suffering for the cause of Christ, to never suffering because we are entitled. 

The Word of God reveals to us a different message. It tells us that hardness or hardships will come. It doesn't say IF the righteous are afflicted, it says many are the afflictions of the righteous (Psalms 34:19). It doesn't say that IF trouble comes, it says He is an ever present help in time of trouble (Psalms 46:1). Scripture tells us that suffering will happen as long as we are following Jesus. 

This mornings scripture tells us that we need to endure hardness. Enduring hardness does not account for righteousness before God. Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ. Enduring the hard times and afflictions draws us to a closer relationship with Him. It teaches us to depend upon Jesus for our strength. Look at how the Word tells us that we should do this as a "good soldier" of Jesus. Soldiers suffer hard times and hardships. 

Do you think Sunday morning are easy?  Maybe that's where this phrase comes in to play with our churches. Many, many Christian churches today have abandoned their nightly or weekly services. Making it easy like Sunday morning. "It's difficult to be devoted to Sunday night Pastor"... "Wednesday? I work way too late, or I would rather watch my favorite shows"... Making Sunday morning easy!  

Well when we make Sunday mornings easy, what happens when things aren't easy? What about when difficulties come?  When the wind blows? If we forsake our studies, fellowship, discipleship, and prayer time we will be so weak. We are setting ourselves up for failure when we see things in God's army as, "Easy Like Sunday Mornings". Really and truly, Sunday's are easy compared to Monday when you don't feel like reading the Word. Or Tuesday, when you don't feel like praying. Or Wednesday, when you don't feel like going. Or Thursday, when you fight to stay above water all day. Or Friday, when everything has fallen apart. Or Saturday, when you have to work to make ends meet. The Christian life is not easy like a Sunday morning. It's difficult and Jesus tells us to endure hardness as a good soldier. 

God's Perfect Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Have you ever felt that you couldn't take another step?  Maybe felt like you were running on fumes or even empty?  Have you ever felt that your strength was all gone? Well that is awesome! Because it's right where God desires us to be. 

This morning, Paul found himself at a place in his life where he was battling with something that bothered him very much. We really don't know what it is that was bothering him, but we do know that it was causing him to struggle. He said it was a thorn in the flesh given unto him to keep him from being proud. Some people believe that it could have been Paul's eye sight. Some lean toward the beatings he received that had battered his body. Either way it doesn't matter. The emphasis should never be put on the thorn, but on the reason and remedy. 

Prosperity preachers have a hard time dealing with this verse because God actually tells Paul "No". He will not remove the thorn. He wanted Paul to carry this suffering for a reason. The things we suffer in this world, because of Christ, are for our growth and for His glory. 

Although God did not remove the thorn, He gave a great remedy. He said, "My strength is made perfect in weakness". God tells him that when he feels like he's on fumes or even empty, that He would be his strength. How awesome! God tells us that HIS strength is made PERFECT in OUR weaknesses. 

Maybe this morning we should stop and thank Him for His strength in our weakness. We should rather glory in our infirmities (physical or mental weakness) so that God's glory could rest upon our humble lives. I would rather live with the power of Christ upon my life than to own the oceans and all the land. 

Thank you Jesus for being my strength when I have none. Thank you for filling my tank when I am way below the "E" mark. Thank you Jesus for humbling me. And thank you most of all for telling me "No" when you are working things for my good. I love you so much.