Tag Archives: The Gospel

What is Your Name?

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Have you heard gospel singer, Tasha Cobbs-Leonard’s song, You know My Name? Do you believe it?

It’s true. It’s scriptural.

God knows the names of all who are His.

Early this morning as I read John 10, I saw verse 3 in a different light. It says: “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.”



What was revealed to me was, he not only knows my government name – that name my parents registered me in – but he knows me by the name, “Christian.” That, is also my name.

I started thinking and questioning myself: Am I living up to my name? You see, once we are covered in the blood of Jesus and have a personal relationship with God, then are we truly Christians. Christian is not simply saying we believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit or we are Christian because we attend church and are affiliated with the Christian faith. It’s living out the Christian life in word and in deed from the way we speak to people to how we handle them, to whether we are putting God first…do we love Him and love our neighbours as ourselves?

Don’t they look similar? You can barely tell the difference.



Further, Exodus 20:7 speaks to not taking the name of the Lord our God in vain. That’s not only casually dropping His name as a swear word or in a joke. When we say we are Christian, but don’t live as Christians, that’s also taking His name in vain. It’s like pretending to be a part of the royal family, but not being blue-blooded. It’s easy to dress the part, speak the language and blend in. But when Jesus looks upon us, can He call us by the name, “Christian”?

Just as there is fake news, there are fake Christians. The sad thing is there are those who are tares, growing among the wheat, but the time will come for there to be separation. Let us ensure we are not among those who say in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” However, God responds: “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23). Lord, God have mercy! For people to believe they are Christians…saved…but in the end, He never even knew them…this is sobering.

So are we living up to the name the Good Shepherd calls us? Let us examine ourselves to see that we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).




Growing in Christ,
Hadassah

Did You Share Christ at Thanksgiving?

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We are officially into the festive holiday season. For many, it’s party time! Shopping, gift giving, eating, drinking etc. But have you ever wondered whether the King of all kings is being glorified?

I recently chose the word glorify for Bible study because it has hit me more than ever that ONLY God ought to be glorified and lifted high. The Word – through St. Paul – admonishes us to glory in nothing save Jesus and the cross (Galatians 6:14).

This wretched world will be gone someday and the flesh shall disintegrate and return to the earth. What profit had a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul (Mark 8:36)? Nothing in this life is worth our soul salvation.

Earlier this week, I thought: “If I don’t get the desires of my heart, will I still serve the Lord?” My answer was, and remains, a resounding YES! We must be prepared to give up the world and the flesh for Jesus. As Job says, “Naked I came and naked I shall return. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21).”

Let us be ready for the coming of the Lord. Let us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Meantime, let our mission be to share AND show the gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified to family and friends. Did you tell someone about Jesus at your Thanksgiving gathering yesterday? Did you give someone hope of a better life in Christ Jesus through His saving grace? In all of the eating and drinking, did you give thanks for the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus dying on the cross to redeem us from our sins?

Jesus said we ought to occupy until He comes (Luke 19:13), but the eating and drinking, and the worldly achievements are for the here and now. They shall be gone someday. Let us not become so consumed that our vision becomes skewed. We must ensure we do not lose our souls with it all. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

My focus has recently been: Does it glorify God? From conversations to actions and even thoughts: Do they glorify God? My prayer is for more God in my life. My prayer is that He would increase and I decrease. More God. Less self.

Set your affections on things above and not on things of this earth (Colossians 3:2). His coming draweth nigh.

Growing in Christ,

Hadassah