This past week, I was challenged to think about the Scripture...
"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."
Our Church is going through the Bible in Chronological order and have just hit the gospels. We are talking about Jesus' journey to the cross, and I was thinking how wonderful it is to require ourselves to think deeply about these things in times other than Easter.
Think of it...we are dwelling on this generous gift our Savior made available to us right here at Thanksgiving...and I believe there is no coincidence that its right here at election time too. Let's face it, there's just nothing better than living and singing with all of our hearts about something more than our political situation!!!
As my heart longs to bless He who came in the Name of the Lord, there are three things that are so important to me that I want to shout them to the mountain tops:
Neither candidate is our Savior.
Neither candidate is actually representing the God of the Bible
Whomever wins, that candidate will not generate spiritual revival. Therefore, we as followers of Jesus must hold so tightly to His character and the truth of the Father as shown in His perfect Word that we are able to boldly stand firm -- with gentleness and respect -- so people will have the opportunity to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him.
The truth is...Jesus did not come to impress. He did not come to create policy to fit our agenda or to satisfy our earthly desires. Think about it...In John 1:29, John the Baptist said...
"Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh
away the sin of the world."
That word "taketh" keeps catching my attention. It doesn't say that Jesus came to simply love us and leave us where we are. It means that God and Jesus made a divine agreement from the beginning of creation that He would come to take all the sin of every generation of every nation on His shoulders so that we might be FREE from death, hell, and the grave!
Jesus, being blessed to come in the name of the Lord meant that God would give Him everything He needed to suffer and die to fulfill God's plan of making His created beings -- those who would receive Jesus -- pure and holy...without the sin, stain, and shame of the flesh...so that they could stand before Him, a pure and holy God.
The Great Commision says...
"Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” Matt 28:18-20 AMP
This means...with all of this knowledge hidden in our believing hearts, we must recognize the priviledge and blessing we have to deny ourselves -- our fears, preferences, tendencies, and desires -- and truly GO in the name of the Lord.
"O sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works and wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are [worthless, lifeless] idols, But the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name; Bring an offering and come into His courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; Tremble [in submissive wonder] before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly and securely established, it shall not be moved; He will judge and rule the people with fairness.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all the things it contains; Let the field be exultant, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy Before the Lord, for He is coming, For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness." Psalms 96:1-13 AMP
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