And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Zechariah 3:2.
Satan claims a right to have those who once stood under his black banner, but who have turned from sin to the living God and have cast their helpless souls upon Jesus. All who take hold of the merits of Christ by faith have the pledged word of God that they shall make peace with Him….
Trials are permitted to come upon the chosen people of God. The expressions are used, “God tempted Abraham,” “God tempted the children of Israel.” This means that the Lord permitted Satan to tempt them in order that their faith might be found unto honor and glory when the judgment shall sit, and when every person shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body. God knows every heart, every motive, every thought in the heart; but He permits Satan to try and tempt and test His believing ones in order that their trust and confidence in God may be revealed….
The Lord hates sin; but He loves and forgives the repentant, believing sinner, and takes everyone under His guardianship and control. Satan is on the track of every soul, but with every temptation that is permitted to come upon the children of God’s pardoning love, He makes a way of escape in order that they shall not be tempted above that which they are able to bear….
“And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.” The work of Satan is plainly defined as that of resisting the meritorious work of Christ…. When Christ steps in between the tempted souls and Satan, the adversary is angry and opens up with a tirade of abuse and accusation, declaring that Christ is unfair in protecting these souls, and in lifting up a standard against him….
In the presence of the unfallen worlds, in the presence of the universe of heaven, in the presence of the angry adversary who has painted them in robes of blackness and moral defilement, urging that they be given into his hands, Jesus answered Satan’s malignant charge whereby he accused them before God day and night. To those who stood before Him, earnestly watching the controversy and marking the determination of Satan to destroy the righteous, Jesus spoke, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.”—Manuscript 27, 1894.
Christ Triumphant p. 186
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that God will lead in E’s life. R
—-I am in need of some serious prayers for my daughter. She has stomach cancer and she went for a ultrasound test yesterday and found another tumor. Please pray that it is not another cancer. She is 29 and has two little ones. Christina
—-Pray for Vivian who is demon possessed. Jose
—-My friend Lucy is sick and in critical condition. Please pray for healing. Francisca
—-Pray for Mike who has a blood clot in his neck. Roberta
—-Please be in prayer for my brother’s family. His wife is fearful of her ex and the situation is complicated. Prayers for peace and safety for her and their children. The blood of Jesus overcomes much evil in the world, including abusive men with deadly intentions. He does not seem to fear or respect protective orders and she is fearful he may harm her or kidnap the children. Jennifer
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Dear Friends,
My granddaughter, Emma, loves helping with the younger children in any type of children’s meetings our church has. I am sure that as she grows, her talent will increase, and she will be more and more help. By the time she is an adult, I am sure that she will be a leader in the children’s division and a great helper in the church.
Jesus told a story about our use of the talents He has given to each of us. “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strowed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strowed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt 25:14-30
How important that we use our talents for our Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly, most do not. How many there are who use the abilities that our Great Creator has given them for selfish gratification, fame, and fortune. They, too, are like the unprofitable servant who hid the talent in the ground, for they have cheated their Master out of the increase.
May we give our lives completely to the One Who has given Himself for us. May we use our talents for His great cause. May we continually “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18

So he … found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him … and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 1 Kings 19:19.
When Elijah saw Elisha in the field with the servants, plowing with his twelve yoke of oxen, he went to the field of labor, and while passing by he unfastened his mantle and threw it upon the shoulders of Elisha. During the three and a half years of barrenness and famine, the family of Shaphat became familiar with the work and mission of Elijah the prophet. The Spirit of God impressed the heart of Elisha in regard to the meaning of this action. This was his signal that God had called him to be the successor of Elijah. It was similar to the commission of Christ to the young ruler to leave all—houses, lands, friends, riches, comforts, and ease, “and come and follow me.”
Elijah passed on as if that were the end of the matter. But he knew that Elisha had understood the significance of the action, and he left him, without speaking a word, to decide whether he would accept the call or reject it. Elisha hastened after the prophet and, overtaking him, asked permission to take leave of his parents, and bid farewell to his family.
The answer of Elijah was “Go back again: for what have I done unto thee?” This was not a repulse, but a test, a trial. If his heart clung to his home and its advantages, he was at liberty to remain there. But Elisha was prepared to hear the call of God. He had not been disorderly, running before the call had come, and when he was called he revealed that he would not hesitate, nor relent, nor draw back….
Had Elisha asked Elijah what was expected of him, what would be his work, he would have answered, God knows; He will make it known to you. If you wait upon the Lord He will answer your every question. You may come with me if you have evidence that God has called you; if not, forbear. Come not simply because I called you. Know for yourself that God stands back of me, and that it is His voice you hear. If you can count everything but dross that you may win the favor of God, Come.
Let all bear in mind that the Lord will not accept halfhearted service. Those who love to do the will of God can do perfect service…. If we follow on to know the Lord, willingly, gladly, we shall know that “his going forth is prepared as the morning.” …
Elisha immediately left all to commence his ministry.—Letter 12, 1897.
Christ Triumphant p. 167
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Shelly who has stage three breast cancer. Brenda
—-update—Mike was transferred to ICU approximately 2:00 am following his heart transplant. He is critically ill requiring a high level of support. Cardiac function itself is now excellent but there are many other concerns requiring prayer so for simplicity, I will list them. -Mike is on immunosuppressant drugs so that his body will not reject the heart.-Due to a shortage of Mike’s blood type, he was intentionally switched to different red blood cells which could represent future risks which they’ll have to monitor.
-Mike is currently on a ventilator receiving extra oxygen to protect his lungs.
-The doctors are working to correct metabolic acidosis in his body before extubation.
-Insulin is given as needed to maintain adequate glycemic control.
-There is concern for blood clots so they are monitoring him closely to prevent an embolism. -His urinary output is worsening despite lasix, so they may have to put Mike on temporary dialysis to protect his kidneys.
As you can see, Mike is in need of more prayer. The first hours, weeks, and months post transplant are crucial. Roberta
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Dear Friends,
Some years ago when Ronnie Jay had moved back home, he discovered that the heavy rains we had been having that year had caused water damage in his bedroom. (Whether it came from the roof that was in the process of being replaced, or from the large window above the window seat, I do not know.) The stuff he had stored in his window seat was soggy, moldy, and ruined. Most had to be thrown away. Now Ronnie Jay has always liked to keep things, so this was very upsetting for him.
As if that was not enough, that evening he noticed that his thirty-gallon aquarium had sprung a leak and there was water damage in his living-room as well. He spent until almost bedtime cleaning up that mess. He was very distressed as it brought back memories of last spring when he lost nearly everything when his basement apartment flooded.
Just as our house needed some quick attention to keep the damage from getting any worse, so our spiritual house can get wet and moldy from time to time and in need of cleansing. If we neglect the problem, it will only get worse. Jesus is coming soon! If we have neglected the necessary preparation, we will lament, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jer 8:20
Now is the time to rid our mind of the “damaged clutter” that has accumulated, so that it will not be found there at His appearing. Now is the time to clean out the “window seat” of our heart that it may be pure and clean. Now is the time to make the necessary preparations that we “may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” Peter advises us, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:14; 1:10,11 Now is the time to pray as did David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps 139:23, 24
Paul urged us to do that spiritual housecleaning when he said, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil 2:12, 13 And if we find things within us that must be put out of our hearts, we have the promise, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”1 John 1:9-2:2 Praise God! He offers us the forgiveness we need! We can be cleansed from all iniquity! Our Great Redeemer “shall supply all [our] need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19,20
“To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” Heb 3:15
Today, He is knocking at your heart’s door pleading for entrance therein. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Rev 3:20 Precious promise! May we allow our Loving Saviour to do the rearranging necessary to make us ready for that Great Day of His Appearing is my prayer.
Rose

And he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 1 Kings 19:4.
In all our afflictions, Jesus was afflicted. The Captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering. In this life we shall be proved whether we bear the test of God. When Satan’s temptations come, we shall have a trial. Shall we be overcome by the bewitching power of Satan or shall we overcome Satan’s temptations as Christ overcame them? Shall we have the mind stored with the heavenly treasures of truth, that we may be enabled to meet the adversary of souls with “It is written” as did Christ, and not with any of our impetuous speeches? Satan understands more of what “is written” than many a professed Christian, for he is a diligent student of the Scriptures, and his work is to pervert the truth of God, to lead people to disobedience and to neglect the searching of God’s Word….
It is a great mistake to dictate to God. Elijah knew not what he said when he told God that he had enough of life and asked to die. The Lord did not take him at his word, for he had a work to do before he would be exalted and translated to heaven. Have we forgotten that Jesus, the Majesty of heaven, suffered being tempted? Jesus did not allow the enemy to pull Him into the mire of unbelief, or crowd Him into the mire of despondency and despair….
God hates sin. Satan’s work is to allure to works of evil. How adroitly Satan worked with his bewitching power to fascinate the mind to choose sin rather than righteousness. The influence of one person on another had become dangerous because of Satan’s leading and controlling the mind and pressing this influence of one over another in his own service. But the Lord Jesus, by the agency of His Holy Spirit, changes the order of things and takes the sins and guilt of the human race upon Himself, and draws people to Himself, and sanctifies and employs the human agent as His instrumentality to engage his powers to do an entirely opposite work than Satan advised….
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” How precious to the tempted soul is this positive promise. If those in trouble and temptation keep their eyes fixed on Jesus and draw nigh to God, talking of His goodness and mercy, Jesus draws nigh to them, and the annoyances that they thought almost unbearable vanish….
Troublous times are before us, but this is not to worry us. To be worried is to be unbelieving, but Christ invites you saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”—Letter 43, 1892.
Christ Triumphant p. 164
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Prayer Requests
—-One of our church member’s granddaughter had surgery this morning. They think it’s cancer. Please pray for healing and for the family. M
—-I have an unspoken prayer request. CD
—-My best friend, Daniel, and I really need your prayers for guidance as to how God wants us to proceed. Danita
—-Please continue praying that Mike will soon receive the heart he needs. Roberta
—-A dear friend and her husband lost their 19 mo old baby girl to a tragic accident yesterday. Please pray for them as they navigate their grief and all the decisions they have to make while being present for their other children. Eudine
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Dear Friends,
When I was a little girl, my mother and I travelled to Wisconsin for a vacation. While there, we went to a cave called Cave of the Mounds. As we walked through that cave, I was awe-struck by the beauty there was inside the earth. It looked like a fairyland. That began a love for caves that has lasted throughout the years. Until I got too old to do so, no matter where I went, I always tried to go to a nearby cave if I possibly could. Some of the caves were much like the first cave we visited. Others are very plain limestone caves without any beauty at all. Those are somewhat of a disappointment but still interesting.
Ron doesn’t like caves much, but he went because I enjoyed them. His biggest complaint about any cave tour is that the guide nearly always got us down in the depths of the earth and then turned out the lights. The guide usually tells everyone in the tour group to be silent. There is not one tiny ray of light. The blackness is so dark that it can be felt. After what seemed like an eternity to Ron, the guide turns on a small flashlight. It is a relief to be able to see something again. After turning on the light switch, the cave is once more flooded with light and the beautiful formations are again visible.
So it is in our spiritual life. Without Jesus, Who is “the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” we are in total darkness, darkness as complete as it is inside a cave. John 1:9 It seems that we would naturally stay close to That Light, but how often we turn from the True Light to explore the things this dark world has to offer. When we do this, the Light is behind us and the farther we go from the Source of all Light, the less we can see. We find ourselves in darkness as dark as in the depths of an unlighted cave. We begin looking around for light, any light, to show us the way. Sometimes we follow someone who says they have the light, but their light is the dim and shaky light of their own making. Their light will go out just when we have the most need of it.
Sometimes we rely on another’s light which they have only because of their connection with the True Light. We stay so close to them that it seems that we, too, have that True Light. We don’t realize that we do not until it is too late. Jesus told a parable about this very thing. “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matt 25:1-13
May we continually keep our eyes on Dear Jesus, the True Light, and follow Him all the way to His Heavenly Kingdom is my prayer.
Rose

Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense…. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. 1 Kings 13:1-5.
When Jeroboam [king of ten tribes of Israel after Solomon] saw the altar rent and the ashes from it poured out on the ground, he cried out in wrath, “Lay hold on him.”“And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.” In alarm he said to the prophet, “Entreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king’s hand … became as it was before.”
“And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee … for so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.”
The prophet refused to receive anything from Jeroboam, but he fell under the temptation of an aged prophet living at Bethel…. To him he said, “Come home with me, and eat bread.” But the man of God answered him as he had answered Jeroboam…. The old prophet then lied to him, saying, “I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.” He declared that the Lord had spoken through him, when He had not….
The man of God had been fearless in delivering his message of rebuke. He had not hesitated to denounce the king’s false system of worship. And he had refused Jeroboam’s invitation, even though promised a reward. But he allowed himself to be overpersuaded by the one who claimed to have a message from heaven.
When the Lord gives a person a command such as He gave this messenger, He Himself must countermand the order. Upon those who turn from the voice of God to listen to counterorders, the threatened evil will come. Because this messenger obeyed false orders, God permitted him to be destroyed….
The rent altar, the palsied arm, the fearful result of the prophet’s disobedience—these were evidences that should have led the king to turn from his evil ways and serve the Lord. But we read, “After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way.”—Manuscript 1, 1912.
Christ Triumphant p. 161
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Prayer Requests
—-update–Richard lost his battle with cancer. Please pray for Sarah Jane and the boys. Rose
—-I have bad vertigo Please pray for me Sylvia
—-Please pray for Ilene who had a mini stroke this week. Rose
—-update—Mike was able to walk the square today around the unit he is staying on!! He is getting stronger. He is even able to sit in a chair and eat meals without being dizzy! Mike remains hooked up to the impella machine but everything is stable. We are still waiting. The call could come at any time so we remain ready…please continue praying for the right heart! Also, we have made friends with the family of an elderly gentleman who is recovering from an aortic valve replacement. We promised we’d ask our friends for prayer so please pray for Mahlon and that he is able to get stronger so he can go back home to Iowa to be with his wife. His son has been faithfully visiting him everyday. Roberta
—-Please pray for my daughter, April. She’s been sick with nausea and other gastric problems off and on for several days. Pray for clear cause and treatment to clear it up. Ann
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Dear Friends,
Ronnie Jay has always loved animals of all kinds. Now that he is married and lives about one-thousand miles away, he has chickens, ducks, and turkeys. When he lived at home, he had dogs, gerbils, hamsters, and fish. I remember one time some years ago, when his pregnant female hamster had escaped from her cage. We hunted and hunted but could not find her. Then two more hamsters had disappeared.
We finally caught one, but the female and the other (a half-grown one from the last litter) eluded us. A few days later Ron and I were awakened by something gnawing on our bed! Ron grabbed the flashlight and looked but all he could see was a pile of wood shavings. The female had obviously made a nest by demolishing part of our bed frame.
Our mornings were very busy getting ready for work, so we decided to worry about catching Mrs. Hamster until we got home from work.
How often we treat the sin that is gnawing away at our life in the same way. We want to deal with it and be rid of it, but we put off doing anything about it. “Later, later, there’s always later” seems to be our motto. How dangerous this procrastination is! If it is continued, we will one day exclaim with weeping, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jer 8:20
“Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Luke 13:23-28
Why is it that many will seek to enter in but shall not be able? Because they did not give diligence to make their calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1;10) They have lived as if tomorrow were a more convenient time to make things right between them and their Master. The trouble is, later never comes.
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor 6:2
Rose

I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15, NRSV.
Sinners seldom feel right in regard to reproof…. How little sympathy they feel for the one who has carried the heavy load the Lord has laid upon him! They assume the role of a martyr and think they deserve great pity, because they are reproved and counseled contrary to their own ideas and feelings. They may admit some things, but with dogged persistency they hold fast to their errors, their own ideas. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” To all intents and purposes the Word of God is rejected….
How different was the character of David! Though he had sinned, when God sent him sharp rebukes he always bowed under the chastisement of the Lord. David was beloved of God, not because he was a perfect man, but because he did not cherish stubborn resistance to God’s expressed will. His spirit did not rise up in rebellion against reproof….
David erred greatly, but he was just as greatly humbled and his contrition was as profound as his guilt. There was never a person more humble than David under a sense of his sin. He showed himself a strong man, not in always resisting temptation, but in the contrition of soul and sincere penitence manifested. He never lost his confidence in God, who put the stern rebuke in the mouth of His prophet. He had no hatred for the prophet of God. He was beloved, also, because he relied upon the mercy of a God whom he had loved and served and honored.
To whom much is forgiven, the same loveth much. David did not take counsel of associates who were sinning against God. This is where many fail. They are left in midnight darkness because they choose to counsel with those who walk not in the counsel of the Lord. They will excuse sin in the sinner when it is not repented of, and pass over wrongs when God has not forgiven them. David trusted in God more than in humans. The decision of God was accepted as just and merciful. Oh, how many are walking in blindness and leading others in the same path, where both must perish because they will not heed the reproofs of the Spirit of God!—Manuscript 1a, 1890.
Christ Triumphant p. 149
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for the Steve Wohlberg meetings that we are having this weekend. Rose
—-Please pray for my Sister in Christ Yvonne as she is going through some serious medical issues! Sandra
—-Please pray for Daniel that the Holy Spirit will guide him. Danita
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Dear Friends,
Names. How careful we must be when we name our helpless babe. A name can make or break the person. Sometimes what sounds so cute when they are a newborn can become a great embarrassment when they are school age. The teasing and tormenting they must endure because of their name has even turned some to a life of crime. All that pent up anger has to come out sometime, some way.
In the Bible, babies were of named according to something that happened surrounding their birth. Seeing what the various Biblical names mean makes for interesting study. For example, Isaac was named “he laughs” because Abraham and Sarah laughed when God told Abraham that she was going to have a baby. (Gen 17:17; 18:12) Esau was named “hairy” because he was covered with red hair. Jacob’s name meant “heel holder” or “supplanter” because he took hold of Esau’s heel during the birthing process. (Gen 25:25, 26)
The name of Jesus, how precious it is! His name tells Who He is: the Saviour! The angel commanded Joseph, “thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt 1:23 Truly He is the “Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isa 9:6
Through the name of Jesus, His followers taught the people the way to eternal life, had power to heal the sick, cast out demons, even raised the dead. (Matt 10:8) Looking at the future reward of God’s people, John tells us, “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” Rev 22:4 Will we have a visible mark tattooed across our forehead that says “Jesus”? No! His name is His character, His glory. When Moses asked to see God’s glory, he was told, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee.” As Moses was in the cleft of the rock, “the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.”
When our Great Creator gave us the Ten Commandments, which are a transcript of His Character and a rule for our happiness, He proclaimed, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Ex 20:7 This commandment encompasses more than common swearing, for that sin can be forgiven. When we take on the name of Christ, we are to become like Him in character. Paul tells us, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Tim 2:19 When we fail to do so, over and over again, we become hardened in our sin, “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” to gain the victory. 2 Tim 3:5 Eventually, we get discouraged and turn away from our Only Hope, our Only Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Fearful position—a position that we need not be in, for our Great Redeemer has provided us with all that we need to be saved, even giving His Most Precious Gift, His Only Begotten Son. (John 3:16)
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil 2:5-13 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.” Jude 24, 25
Rose