It’s Not Just About Spelling???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #395

It seems to me that we are living in a time when it is all about the ‘Gospel of “me”…’; it’s not about Jesus anymore, it seems to be about the gratification of our flesh, popularity, the best show or entertainment, or even catchy phrases to grab followers!  We have even taken that which God exalted, that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father…” (See Philippians 2:5-11), and made Jesus’ name a talisman, or a lucky coin you drop in the God-slot-machine and pull the handle for your prize!  I simply say—on the contrary!  God is not a heavenly slot machine that you can manipulate, or dictate to, or order around with your out of context scriptures!  God is God and when we take scripture and twist it to meet our own desires and fleshly lusts, we have missed the truth and import of scripture.  Let’s look first of all at what Jesus said about a biblical prayer life, and our life before the world as well.

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

in earth,

as it is in heaven…”  Matthew 6:9-10

Not only do we use Jesus’ name to fulfill our own lusts and desires, but we also forget that Jesus told us that we are to pray for God’s Kingdom to come (in me!); and for God’s will to be done (in me), and in the earth—”as it is in heaven”!  And how is God’s will done in heaven?  Let’s take a look at John’s glimpse into the very throne room of God.

“And the four beasts had each of them

six wings about him;

and they were full of eyes within:

and they rest not day and night, saying,

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,

which was,

and is,

and is to come.

9 And when those beasts

give glory and honour and thanks

to him that sat on the throne,

who liveth for ever and ever,

10 The four and twenty elders

fall down

before him that sat on the throne,

and worship him

that liveth for ever and ever,

and cast their crowns

before the throne, saying,

11 Thou art worthy, O Lord,

to receive glory and

honour and

power:

for thou hast created

all things,

and for thy pleasure

they are

and were created.”  Revelation 4:8-11

Is this what your response to God looks like?  Or are we begging and pleading with God for our will to be done by Him, regardless of its nature, or its alignment with His Holy Word?  We are like spoiled children, pitching a fit to get our own way!  It seems that we are more concerned with “My will be done”, than God’s!

Jesus talks about our privilege as His sheep, to pray in His name, but that is a holy privilege not a license to sin, live our own way, or have popularity, prosperity, personal gain in whatever arena is of import to you and me!

“But ye believe not,

because ye are not of my sheep,

as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them

out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me,

is greater than all;

and no man is able to pluck them

out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.”  John 10:26-30

Jesus tells us to ask in His name, but He also gave us the caveat to that promise! It’s not for our own desires, but for the glory of God.  It makes me extremely sad to see and hear people claiming to pray “in Jesus’ name” yet the things they ask are often for selfish gain in one way or another.  Even when their mouth is saying “Praise God”, their life is saying, “Praise me!”  Let’s examine our life by what Jesus said; and note that He refers to The Holy Spirit (which would come at Pentecost) as “the Spirit of truth”; I find this of great import, for so many claim to be speaking from the “Spirit”, but their words do not align with God’s Word!  To ask “in Jesus’ name” isn’t a magic formula, but rather it is an identification with the Son Of God, who IS truth!  If your use of His name doesn’t align with His Word, then it doesn’t align with Him!  Do our words (regardless of whose name we use) glorify self or The Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

“Believest thou not that I am in the Father,

and the Father in me?

the words that I speak unto you

I speak not of myself:

but the Father that dwelleth in me,

he doeth the works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father,

and the Father in me:

or else believe me

for the very works’ sake.

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you,

He that believeth on me,

the works that I do shall he do also;

and greater works than these shall he do;

because I go unto my Father.

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,

that will I do,

 that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name,

I will do it.

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father,

and he shall give you another Comforter,

that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth;

whom the world cannot receive,

because it seeth him not,

neither knoweth him:

but ye know him;

for he dwelleth with you,

and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless:

I will come to you.”  John 14:10-18

Do we love Jesus and “keep my commandments”? The author of Hebrews reminds us that the plumbline of all things IS The Word of God, we can choose to heed The Word or reap the consequences of wrong thinking/believing.

“For the word of God is

quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul and spirit, and

of the joints and marrow, and

is a discerner

of the thoughts and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest in his sight:

but all things are naked and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”  Hebrews 4:12-13

Our accounting before God will be according to God’s Word not our own loose handling of the same; God knows, and truth will be open before Him!  Jesus also told us that our lives are to be serving Him, and that which we ask “in His name” is to be in order to bring glory to God and to increase His kingdom?  How are you using His name?  Do you love Him, or only what you think He will do for you?

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

If a man love me,

he will keep my words:

and my Father will love him,

and we will come unto him,

and make our abode with him.

24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings:

and the word which ye hear is not mine,

but the Father’s which sent me.

25 These things have I spoken unto you,

being yet present with you.

26 But the Comforter,

which is the Holy Ghost,

whom the Father will send in my name,

he shall teach you all things,

and bring all things to your remembrance,

whatsoever I have said unto you.”             John 14:23-26

Jesus had so much to say about the transition from His physical presence to the indwelling Holy Spirit for those who were His own.

“Ye are my friends,

if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants;

for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth:

but I have called you friends;

for all things that I have heard of my Father

I have made known unto you.

16 Ye have not chosen me,

but I have chosen you,

and ordained you,

that ye should go and bring forth fruit,

and that your fruit should remain:

that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father

in my name,

he may give it you.”  John 15:14-16

Did you see the connection between bearing fruit with and for Jesus and asking and receiving from The Father.  We can’t go maverick and expect Jesus’ blessing upon us, and His answers to our demands.  I think that we, much like the religious leaders of Jesus day, are wanting to please God in our flesh and get HIS blessings by our own goodness!  Let’s see what Jesus had to say about choices, behavior and truth, to us!

“Ye hypocrites,

well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me

with their mouth,

and honoureth me

with their lips;

but their heart

is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me,

teaching for doctrines

the commandments of men.”  Matthew 15:7-9

We must continue to be diligent to work and walk in God’s ways, knowing what His Word says, and diligently ordering our steps according to that Word!  So are you and I using words made of letters, claiming to speak in Jesus’ name; or is our life aligned to His Holy Word?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test.

“O death,

where is thy sting?

O grave,

where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death

is sin;

and the strength of sin

is the law.

57 But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know

that your labour is not in vain

in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 15:55-58

And in closing Jesus’ own words to us all, for remember, saying so, doesn’t make it so!

“Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will

of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me 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?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.”  Matthew 7:21-23

Amen and Amen!!!

Please be sure that your prayers, your words, your life before a lost and dying world is grounded in Jesus, HIS Word, and His ways, and not just empty letters that may spell His name but not be of Him; don’t be just “saying…Lord, Lord”!