One thing that we have forgotten over the centuries is making sure that we keep God's name hallowed, sanctified, holy. It is hard to find a show or a movie that it is not used as a cuss word. Even in music it is used as a cuss word. Our kids today are not taught how or why we should set His name apart for any other name. The third commandment, not using His name in vain, is pretty much wiped out of out society, basically in one generation.
When reading something written by a Jew or Messianic Jew you will always see G-d used. They leave the "o" out in honor of His name. When the rabbis would copy down the scriptures they would and came to His name they would purposely leave out a letter for fear of spelling it wrong.
We need to only go back to the time of George Washington to see how far we have come from hallowing God's name. One of my favorite books, and most convicting reads about faith and honoring God, is George Washington's Scared Fire, by Peter Lillback. On pages 55-58, Lillback explains how like the Jews were about the name of God, so was the Angilican Church about the name of Jesus in everyday conversation. They would refer to Jesus as; "our gracious Redeemer," "the great Lord and Ruler of Nations," "The Judge of the Hearts of Men," "Giver of Life".
As I read through this book and saw how powerful and awe inspiring the names were and the writings of George Washington filled with these names, I felt convicted that my faith had not even thought of God in that way. Now when I sit and watch a thunderstorm develop, with the clouds growing upward into the heaven as I watch, I think about the majesty of God and the power of His name that He can build such storms. Then when they hit with the wind, rain, lightning and thunder it makes me want to describe His power and love and grace in the way that Washington would have done.
Jesus is the name above all names and should rightly like God the Father it should be treated with the respect and honor He deserves. Like the thunderstorm building up, so does naming Him, Lover of My Soul, My Soul's Strength and Redeemer.the more we focus on Who He is to us the stronger the connection with Him becomes. There is something that stirs and grows within us when we talk about the Giver of Life than when we just use His name. We are focused on Who He is and what He has done for us.
May we renew the Hallowing of the Name of our God and Father, the One Who sent His Son to pay the ransom of our lives from sin. May our lives reflect the Love that Our Redeemer has for us and everyone. The Living Water and Bread of Life that we need to seek and spend time with daily through the means of prayer will sustain us when we come to Him.
When reading something written by a Jew or Messianic Jew you will always see G-d used. They leave the "o" out in honor of His name. When the rabbis would copy down the scriptures they would and came to His name they would purposely leave out a letter for fear of spelling it wrong.
We need to only go back to the time of George Washington to see how far we have come from hallowing God's name. One of my favorite books, and most convicting reads about faith and honoring God, is George Washington's Scared Fire, by Peter Lillback. On pages 55-58, Lillback explains how like the Jews were about the name of God, so was the Angilican Church about the name of Jesus in everyday conversation. They would refer to Jesus as; "our gracious Redeemer," "the great Lord and Ruler of Nations," "The Judge of the Hearts of Men," "Giver of Life".
As I read through this book and saw how powerful and awe inspiring the names were and the writings of George Washington filled with these names, I felt convicted that my faith had not even thought of God in that way. Now when I sit and watch a thunderstorm develop, with the clouds growing upward into the heaven as I watch, I think about the majesty of God and the power of His name that He can build such storms. Then when they hit with the wind, rain, lightning and thunder it makes me want to describe His power and love and grace in the way that Washington would have done.
Jesus is the name above all names and should rightly like God the Father it should be treated with the respect and honor He deserves. Like the thunderstorm building up, so does naming Him, Lover of My Soul, My Soul's Strength and Redeemer.the more we focus on Who He is to us the stronger the connection with Him becomes. There is something that stirs and grows within us when we talk about the Giver of Life than when we just use His name. We are focused on Who He is and what He has done for us.
May we renew the Hallowing of the Name of our God and Father, the One Who sent His Son to pay the ransom of our lives from sin. May our lives reflect the Love that Our Redeemer has for us and everyone. The Living Water and Bread of Life that we need to seek and spend time with daily through the means of prayer will sustain us when we come to Him.