There's Just Something About That Name

"Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but there’s something about that name.”

I’ve blogged before that I find the great dividing line between “christianists” and “Christians” to be people that are not afraid of the name – people of the name, if you will. Everyone that wants to be politically and fiscally conservative usually claim that they fall in the realm of “Christianity.” But, if I’m just being honest, just having those values doesn't make you Christian, and more often than not - having those values will ensure that you don't act very much like a Christian.

That line that will cause a conservative or a progressive alike, a Republican or a Democrat, to shift uncomfortably in their seats… any of them – is the name of Jesus. People tend to think that only they are privvy to having a label, to being saved. They like to think only "their" kind or their denomination, or their level of being conservative is right... but the relationship - that's the key!! Do you have the name? Are you baptised in the name? Are you walking, living, and proclaiming the name? There IS something about that name. There is something to be said for the power it wields and the peace it brings. You can serve and do great things in service, and never know the owner of that name. You can spend your entire life doing for others and miss the understanding that the name brings.

It’s the name that matters. It’s knowing the owner of the name that matters!

Philippians 2:5-11 “The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had: He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God. Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant.

He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness.
He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death—his death on the cross.
For this reason God raised him to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name.

And so, in honor of the name of Jesus all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will fall on their knees, and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The Bible ascribes many different names to Jesus, all of which provide great insight into His character and person. In biblical times, Israelites would choose a baby’s name based on the child’s characteristics or a hope or prayer of the parent. The names given to Jesus tell a great deal about His ministry on earth roughly two thousand and some twenty years ago. The scriptural names describing Him reveal who He was and is and will be for eternity. These, in their rich variety, throw light on either the person of Jesus Christ or on some aspect of his ministry.

Titles relating to Jesus Christ’s identity

The Exact Image Of God:  Heb 1:3 See also Jn 14:9; 2Co 4:4; Col 1:15
The First and Last, the Alpha and Omega Rev 22:13 “Alpha” and “Omega” are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. See also Rev 1:17; Rev 2:8; Rev 21:6
The Word of God Jn 1:1 See also Mal 3:1; Jn 1:14; 1Jn 1:1; Rev 19:13
The Last Adam 1Co 15:45 See also Ro 5:14
The Bright Morning Star Rev 22:16 See also 2Pe 1:19
The Rising Sun Mal 4:2; Lk 1:78
The Living One Rev 1:18 See also Jn 5:26; Jn 11:25
The Amen Rev 3:14 See also 2Co 1:20
The True Light Jn 1:3-9 See also Isa 9:2; Lk 2:32; Jn 3:19-21; Jn 8:12; Jn 12:46
The Righteous One Ac 3:14 See also Jer 23:6; Jer 33:15-16; Ac 7:52; Ac 22:14
The Lion of Judah Rev 5:5
The King of the Jews Mt 2:1-2; Mt 27:37

The “I am” sayings of John’s Gospel

In John, Jesus had the “I AM” sayings, or really statements about exactly what He was. Jn 8:58 See also
The Bread of Life (Jn 6:35)
The Light of the World (Jn 8:12; Jn 9:5)
The Gate (Jn 10:7-10)
The Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11-14)  
The Resurrection and the Life (Jn 11:25)
The Way (Jn 14:6)
The Truth (Jn 14:6)
The Life (Jn 14:6)
The Vine (Jn 15:1-5)

Titles relating to Jesus Christ’s ministry

The seed of Abraham Gal 3:16 See also Ge 12:7; Ge 13:15; Ge 24:7
The Root and Offspring of David Rev 22:16
The faithful witness Rev 1:5 See also Isa 55:4; Jn 18:37; Rev 3:14
Immanuel Mt 1:23 See also Isa 7:14; Isa 8:8
The capstone Mt 21:42 pp Mk 12:10 pp Lk 20:17 See also Ps 118:22; Ac 4:11; Eph 2:20-21; 1Pe 2:6-7
The rock 1Co 10:4 See also Isa 8:14; Isa 28:16; Ro 9:32-33; 1Pe 2:8
The bridegroom Jn 3:29 John the Baptist describing himself as the bridegroom’s friend, and Jesus Christ as the bridegroom. See also Mt 9:15 pp Mk 2:19-20 pp Lk 5:34-35; Mt 25:1-10; Rev 19:7; Rev 21:2
The firstborn among many brothers Ro 8:29
The first fruits 1Co 15:23
The firstborn from the dead Rev 1:5
The heir of all things Heb 1:2

Titles relating to Jesus Christ’s authority

Lord Ac 2:25 See also Mt 7:21; Lk 6:46; Jn 6:68; Ro 10:13; 1Co 3:5; Col 3:23; 1Th 4:16-17; 2Pe 1:11
The head of the church Eph 1:22-23; Eph 4:15; Eph 5:23; Col 2:19
The Chief Shepherd 1Pe 5:4 See also Mt 2:6; Mic 5:2; Jn 10:11; 1Pe 2:25; Heb 13:20
Prince Ac 5:31
Rabbi Jn 1:38,49; Jn 20:16

Titles emphasising Jesus Christ’s saving work

Jesus: the Lord saves Mt 1:21
Man of Sorrows See also Isa 53:3
The Passover Lamb 1Co 5:7
A Horn of Salvation See also Lk 1:69
The Consolation of Israel Lk 1:68; Lk 2:25,38
The Deliverer and Redeemer Ro 11:26; Isa 59:20
The author and perfecter of salvation Heb 2:10 See also Heb 5:9; Heb 12:2

Titles stressing Jesus Christ’s mediatory status

The Mediator 1Ti 2:5
The High Priest Heb 3:1 See also Heb 2:17; Heb 6:20
The Son of Man Lk 19:10 See also Mt 11:19; Lk 5:24; Jn 3:13; Jn 6:53; Ac 7:56; Rev 1:13

Jesus. There’s just something about that name.

Cheers,

#JustBeingMichael ツ

Only Trust Him

Today is bittersweet.

I've spent two weeks recuperating, resting, and restoring myself. I've spent Christmas and New Year with family and loved ones. I've done a lot of soul searching. I've reached out to the past, reconciled old hurts, and begun the process of repentance for a life spent in selfish vanity. I've taken communion with my sweet family, got to hear my Momma pray a prayer that would raise the hair on the back of your neck, and gotten to be in service with precious loved ones and cousins.

I've seen the hand of God touch me and literally heal me in the past weeks. We always hear of others far off. We always think it's someone's cousin's little sister's roommate from junior camp in Texas somewhere that gets truly healed, or touched by God. Or one of the Bournes. It's never us. Well, this time it was me. God's chased me since I was a child, and He's never faltered. It's odd to be this lucid, and see things this clearly, and feel this much wonder.

I'm changed. Forever changed. Forgiven. Called. Commissioned. And, embarrassingly enough to admit, scared. What is your reaction to realizing you've run from God? Wasted resources? Not been a very good steward? What do you do when the supernatural touches your life, gives you an unmerited gift, restores what you've abused, and offers peace and grace?

I'm sitting in an airport... crying... and wondering what in the world my next steps are. I'm in a peaceful turmoil. I am so sad to leave my family. I am not thrilled to return to my privileged and selfish life and begin the real work of dismantling bad habits, bad decisions, repair relationships, and move forward in grace and fulfill callings I've long-enough ignored. Yet, I'm blessed. I'm peaceful. I keep running over in my head that I am loved, and protected. I am in God's will, so what's with the anxiety and stress? And then I remember that I still have 20 years of consequences, reparations and many, many things to disentangle from my life. I feel partially like Joseph, having been sent on a difficult, but ultimately, rewarding, multi-decade detour. And partially like the prodigal son.

God made good on His end and healed me physically - you'd think that would be the hard part... The next steps, moments, hours, and days are for what I covet prayer. I'm humming this to myself today, "Only Trust Him," over and over. That, while so simple, is my best and next step. And the next. And the next.

"Come, every soul by sin oppressed,
There’s mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest,
By trusting in His word.
Only trust Him, only trust Him,
Only trust Him now.
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now."

I'd Rather Have...

Howdy, Readers -

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love good stories. If my papaw was still alive, I'd just love to be able to sit for hours and listen to him spin tales. He was a master at telling you a story, taking  break, and then finishing the story with a twist. He reminded me of Paul Harvey in his ability to sit around a table and talk. Because of him, and folks like him in my family... I like stories. More to the point - I like to collect them. I like weird ones, ones with unexpected ends, happy ones, sad ones. I absolutely LOVE true ones, historical ones, and family history stories. I like the tall tales, too. He could spin some tales from hunting and fishing, or about his parents, or days overseas in the military. But I loved them all... And because of those stories, I also began listeing and collecting stories outside of my family and those that struck a chord with me. Some of them are heartwarming and I like to tell those or share those stories. One such story is about a gospel songwriter named George Beverly Shea.

George Beverly Shea was a quite famous and prolific songwriter that worked for many years on the Billy Graham crusades. He was a singer, and nearly half of all of the hymnals in America have his work woven throughout them. There are countless songs he's written, recorded and that have been covered by recording artists the world over.

"Bev Shea was attening the Bible School in Ottawa (Ontario) where I was teaching. He loved to sing. After more training in New York City, he was given and audition at one of the radio stations and was offered a contract. He asked that he might sing Gospel songs. He was told that he might use one occasionally, but he would have to use the songs on the Hit Parade.

What woud he do?

Well, his mother was praying and on a Saturday night, she placed a poem on the piano. In the morning, he composed a tune for the poem. One verse was: "I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold: I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame; I'd rather be true to His holy name!"

Bev turned down the contract.

A short time later, he was offered a position with a Chicago radio station where he might sing the Gospel songs he loved. While there, he met Billy Graham. The rest of the story is well known." -- R. Barclay Warren

Now, George Beverly Shea not only took that little poem, he wrote a song from it and it is one of my favorite gospel songs of all time. It is a staple on the Southern Gospel Quarter circuit, and it's been done and arranged many ways by choirs, quarters, soloists...

I'd Rather Have Jesus
(1) I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I'd rather be His than have riches untold
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.
CHORUS:
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway;
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
(2) I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name.
(3) He's fairer than liles of rarest bloom,
He's sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He's all that my hungering spirit needs,
I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead