Power in His Name

I overheard my 3 year old, out of the blue, declaring, "There's power in the Name of Jesus! Grrr!"

Made me chuckle at the surety in the statement coming from such a small vessel, but it threw me quickly into a moment of reflection.  How often we forget what's behind that Name: JESUS. 

"Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the Name above all other names, 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." (Philippians 2:9-11)

EVERY other name is subject to the Name of Jesus!  

What "name" are you battling?  Is it sickness? Depression? Anger?  Addiction? Poverty?  Relationship problems? Begin to speak His Name over your situation.  Even if you can only muster enough strength to whisper, "Jesus" - continue to do it over and over again. There is unfathomable power and authority behind that Name! (Matthew 28:18)

Salvation in the Name of Jesus:

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

“And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21

Demons flee and protection found in the Name of Jesus:

“But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.”  Acts 16:18

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17

Strength and soundness of mind in the Name of Jesus:

“And His name, through faith in His Name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”  Acts 3:16

Healing in the Name of Jesus:

“Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the Name of your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:30

“Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. By faith in the Name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ Name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.” Acts 3:6

The Name that saves. The Name that heals. The Name that strengthens.  The Name that calms the storm. The Name of hope.  The Name of victory.  Jesus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXH0MjGe10s

The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book.  But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life by the power of His name.” John 20:30-31

Character

Our character, if not developed and matured, will eventually catch up with us and knock us down from the platform in which our gifting and talents have taken us.

We all have seen it.  Highly gifted performers who have the world's attention but lack of character shows through in their actions and their credibility is marred.   Ministers, oftentimes those with a worldwide voice, but EVENTUALLY their character flaws shine through and it's the very thing that dethrones them from their position.  Marriages that appeared "OK" suddenly end in divorce.  The "perfect" child becomes the prodigal... Why? Because the hidden issues of the heart have been ignored.

"The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them." Proverbs 11:3

Our greatest weaknesses, if left undealt with, will surface to the top.  You can only wear a mask for so long. The rubber band eventually snaps and what used to hide you has now left you revealed.  The self constructed platform that once elevated your ego comes crashing down from the weight of the junk that was left unchecked. 

Bandaids are not a substitute for surgery.  Developing our character is a deep work that requires facing our heart issues not covering them up.  Building godly character takes place in quiet, "at the feet of Jesus" times: diligently exposing ourselves to the Word of God and letting it shine a light on those areas that do not line up. 

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24

Slow down and take a look at who you are. Not who you lead others or yourself to believe.  Not what your reputation says about you. Who are you when no one else is looking?  What heart attitudes reign behind your smile?  What would God say about your character?

Lord, we all have "stuff" that we cover up so beautifully. On the outside everything looks good and yet inside their is decay that needs a touch from You.  Whatever it is in our lives that is keeping us from fully serving and pleasing You, please shine a light on it.  Shine Your light on the ugly parts so that we can, with Your help, become all You have called us to be.  We want to be a living example of Christ in the earth - not a false representation that gives Him a bad name because of our undealt with "stuff."   We love You, Lord, and we desire to become more and more like You.

True Beauty

"We have to STOP agreeing with what the world has said about us while it exploits us: We are only as good as we are sexually desirable." ~Beth Moore

From early on, young girls are subliminally trained to "use what you've got to get what or who you want" ... For those who don't feel they measure up to what society portrays as a woman, life can be an ongoing body image struggle resulting in eating disorders and depression.  Sadly, life's goal becomes minimalized to squeezing into a size 0. 

This is NOT what the Lord intends for His daughters.  It is an ugly lie from the enemy that is embedded in us as women.  It has infiltrated us to the point of "normal" - where we don't even recognize how non-stop we are bombarded with it.  It is a clever decoy to keep us focused on everything but who we are called as women to be in Christ. 

Feeling beautiful, the need to feel beautiful is okay, but Hollywood does not define true beauty. 

"You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful." 1 Peter 3:4-5

Not only are we bombarded with "image based" worth, but men are seeing the very same thing and getting a warped sense of who a real woman really is, expecting us to live up to unattainable ideals.  Fact of the matter is, we ALL, men and women alike, are being deceived into a false reality all in order to keep us flesh conscious.  If the enemy can keep us there, we will not be walking in the spirit ~ where our true worth is found. 

"Perfect love casts out fear."  This whole issue is fear based.  Fear of not measuring up, fear of rejection, fear of being unwanted, fear of being second best...  I pray that we all can get to the point where we allow Christ's perfect love to penetrate every broken part so we can walk in wholeness ~ viewing ourselves the way He intended.

"But God told Samuel, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7 MSG)

Fulfilling Your Spouse

We all have our ideals of what we want to GET out of our marriages, but what are we willing to GIVE?  Laying aside our desires for just a moment, let’s think about our spouses. What could we do to assure them they are loved? What would make them feel secure, safe, and truly cared for?  We all have an innate need for these things. What are we doing to daily fulfill it for our partner? 

It truly is more blessed to give than to receive. To have the privilege to make someone feel special, and to make their life a little easier is priceless.  Wives, wouldn't it bring you unspeakable joy to know that when your husband leaves the house each day, he can't wait to get home to YOU?  Husbands, can you imagine the “spring” you’d have in your step in knowing your wife excitedly anticipates for you to get home from work?

When we just “take life as it comes,” all too often we set ourselves up for failure. This is true in our homes as well.  We can say we want to have a healthy and happy home, but there is just something about writing it down.   It's like when you are making plans for the day with things you wish to accomplish.  Once you make a checklist of those things, you feel obligated or accountable to do that which you have set in your heart to do.  Likewise, when you get specific as to the spouse you want to be, you are more apt to take the steps to becoming just that.  Then share it with your spouse.  What a sweet moment it will bring when they see your heart’s desire is to bring them joy!

How does this sound?        

 

As your lifetime best friend ~ I want to bring you joy
A place of safety ~ where you can be vulnerable
I want to hold your hand ~ as an encourager, your biggest fan
As your faithful lover ~ I want to make you feel like the man (woman) you are

I commit to talking things through ~ walls never being built
I will protect your feelings ~ even if I do not agree or understand
I will always do my best ~ to show you how much you’re loved
I want you to never doubt ~ how proud I am that you are mine

I want our home ~ to be a peaceful haven
A place you can retreat to ~ to be refreshed from each day’s challenges
I want to make you feel alive ~ adding smiles to your life
Whatever it is I can do ~ I want to make life easier for you

This is possible!  We have to throw out the 50/50, self seeking mindset “I’ll do for you if you do for me.”  Marriage is teamwork. What team ever succeeded with players only giving fifty percent?

100/100 carries a whole different perspective: to solely seek to satisfy your partner’s needs.   If we want a truly fulfilling marriage, both sides have to give their all, all the time. What have you done TODAY, with no strings attached, to show your spouse how much you love them?

Intricacies of Life

 

I was walking through a "year round" Christmas store and couldn't help but notice all of the Christmas villages on display.  From afar, they looked nice, caught my eye, but when I really got up close and looked at all the intricacies of each individual piece, it made the display that much more beautiful and appreciated.

I began to think about our lives and how all too often we look at the BIG picture and we miss the "little" things.  Years pass us by and all we can account for is eating, sleeping, and paying the bills ~ a life of what appears mundane when you look through it with "surface" vision. 

We do this day after day acknowledging the "existence" of people, places, and things but never noticing their beauty.  We grow weary concentrating on what we don't have and miss out on the enjoyment of what is right at our fingertips. 

Looking at the villages I was also reminded of a couple of verses in Psalm 139, "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it."

When an artist puts detail into his creation: a painting, a sculpture, a writing ~ it is put there for a reason... for the observer to take notice and find enjoyment in the beauty of it...

God is the Master Creator, the Master Artist and He is into detail!  Everything He has ever created is an authentic masterpiece made for not only His pleasure but for ours!  BUT we have to slow down to find the joy in the NOW.  

Let’s stop merely glancing over the big picture of life.  Hit the “zoom in” button and you’ll discover what a fleeting look will never see. 

Begin studying the individuality of your children.  Love them BIG now right in the midst of their annoyances and quirks.  Begin noticing the deeper things deposited within your spouse, significant other, or your friends rather than maintaining “how’s the weather” shallow encounters. Quit waiting for an “easier” or “more convenient” stage of life to live in the now.  Before you know it, the chance you had is over. Everything gets pushed off for a future that never comes. 

“Slow down and smell the beauty in life…” eb

Freedom In Our Praise

Most of the Psalms were written during wilderness times; the Epistles,  in prison. We can take comfort in knowing that when we are in the fire, God is about to use us in a mighty way. 

"About Midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God..." In their darkest hour, they didn't forget God nor grow angry with Him.   They knew from Whom their help came from and they knew their freedom was in their praise. 

The rest of that Scripture states, "And the other prisoners were listening to them." Others are watching us as we endure life's storms.

"Suddenly there was an earthquake that shook the foundations of the jail.  All the doors  immediately flew open, and everyone's chains came off. "

May we be like Paul and Silas, confident that God will never  forsake us even in the toughest of times.  Our continual worship of Him will invoke His presence into our lives. Not only will it bring our freedom, but an open door to share the Gospel message to those who have watched our calm endurance. 

(Acts 16:25-26, Philippians 4:4-7, 1 Peter 2:9, Hebrews 13:15)

I AM

I feel Your breath within the breeze

I know You're breathing life in me

A shattered heart

Placed in Your hands

Putting my trust

in the Great I AM

Your loving voice

Calls out to me

"You shall know the Truth

and it will set you free."

You reveal to me

All who You are

"I AM your All in All

The Bright Morning Star

I AM Agape Love

My anger is slow

I AM the God of Compassion

Lover of your soul

I AM the Whisperer

That gently speaks to You

I AM Alpha and Omega

I came to make things new

I AM Mercy and Grace

Forgiver of your sins

I AM the Most High

I will stand in your defense

I AM your Comfort

Your Provider, Your Friend

A Faithful Father

My love never ends

I AM Wisdom

Your Shepherd, your Guide

I AM the God who sees

Every tear you've cried

I AM your Hiding Place

Your Rest, your Calm

I AM your Safe Shelter

From every storm

I AM your Hope

I AM Faithful and True
The Author of your life

Who came to deliver you

I AM the Bread of Life

The filler of your heart

The God of new beginnings

Who gives you a fresh start

I AM the Light of the world

The One to be revealed

I AM the Prince of Peace

I AM the God who heals

I AM your Redeemer

The only One who saves

The perfect Lamb of God

For you, is why  I came

I AM the Resurrection

I AM Absolute Truth

The Anointed and Chosen One

Who has chosen you

I AM the Vine

Living Water for your soul

Refreshing comes from Me

I AM the God who makes you whole"

Such depth to who You truly are

In awe – I humbly stand

My everything, my every need

Found in You,  the great I AM!

Thermometer or Thermostat?

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue!" (Prov. 18:21)

Are we speaking death or life into our circumstances, over our spouse, over our children, over ourselves? What are we creating with the words that we speak? Our words have creative power!

What future are we building with the thoughts that we harbor on? The thoughts we meditate on are the direction in which we will go... these thoughts will show in our attitude, which will then become the words that we speak... And our words will eventually create an outcome... We have to make a conscious decision to change our attitude so that only life is spilling from our lips. 

What atmosphere are we creating for ourselves and for those around us? Are people drawn to us or does our body language send the message that we are unapproachable and unfriendly?  Would people consider us unpredictable? Do we speak words of blessing in some situations and show a totally different "face" in others?  As believers, this ought not be so. 

We need to strive to walk in the Spirit in ALL circumstances. We don't pick and choose who we show ourselves friendly to or who we walk in love towards.  "Treat others as you want to be treated" isn't for the select few that YOU decide deserve it.  It is for the unlovely. It is for that person that you cannot stand to be around.  It's for a former friend, an ex-spouse, those who have cheated you, lied to you, spoke evil of you.  We are not responsible for their actions, but we will be for our own!

Are you a thermometer that fluctuates in the presence of certain people, the every day annoyances that come along, and the varying temperatures that life brings?  Or are you a thermostat that everywhere you are - you choose to set a positive attitude that reigns in the room - ALWAYS being an example of Christ and His love?

(James 2:8, James 3:6-11, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:42-44, Matthew 12:36-37, Mark 12:30-31, Mark 11:23, Proverbs 10:11, Proverbs 10:20, Proverbs 15:4)