That Name

 "For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth." Philippians 2:10....."Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name." Bill and Gloria Gaither

I recently heard a young singer named Laney Rene say in an interview that something she remembers from her mother was being told that in those times when she had no idea what or how to pray, or even felt that she could pray, she could offer up a prayer that would be filled with power. Her mother told her that in such times, she need say only the name of Jesus. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. In the declaring of His name, the Father would respond by ministering to her in those things she couldn't put into words, or was so deeply burdened as to not even be able to speak. She said she had learned and continued to learn that when we speak His name in prayer, we have no idea of the height, depth, and width of what His name encompasses. She showed great maturity for a young lady. Perhaps you and I need to learn from her this day, and the days to come.

I think there is a plague of hopelessness and despair covering not only the world, but a good part of the church in these days. Much that we don't understand, socially, economically, and politically, have happened and continue to happen. Those things that we have come to both depend on, and take for granted, are being removed or lost. "Why" is the question upon many hearts right now. Fear, anger, bitterness, all of these and more seem to be everywhere. These things are oppressive and perhaps they've oppressed us to the degree that we too know not what or how to pray about it all.

"Be still, and know that I am God," is one of my favorite Scriptures, but we rarely seem to know how to become still before Him. I believe we can enter into that stillness when we simply pray His name, for in His name is peace, joy, strength, and hope. As Rene says, when we pray His name, we have no idea of all that His name covers. One thing is sure, His name will cover us.

Another lyric I love is in the song, "No Longer Slaves." "There is power in the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus. There is power, in the name of Jesus, to break every chain, to break every chain, to break every chain." We need to discover anew, or maybe for the first time, all the power that is found in the name of Jesus. Every knee, from Satan and his demons, to the most powerful men and women on earth, will ultimately bow before Him, and admit to His Lordship. The full realization of this is yet to come, but we need to know that we can see it come true to the fullest extent this side of eternity when we speak His name in the face of all that comes against us, because all that comes against us cannot stand before His name. Yet how many of us can believe this so that we speak it to all that does come against us, and continues to come against us?

That name. That beautiful, wonderful, powerful name. Jesus. It is the name above all names. Let us, each day, each moment, be found lifting up the name of Jesus, and discover how in doing so, He lifts us above all that stands against us.

He has so many names in Scripture: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Healer, Strong Tower, Savior. He is all these and infinitely more. That Name. There is something about that Name. Let us enter into the full reality of that Name. It starts by simply saying His Name; Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

Blessings,

Pastor O