NAMES

Some have said that Allah is the same God to whom we that claim Jesus Christ as our Savior pray. After all, what’s in a name, right? Let’s take a look at that thought…

Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹He is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,

which has become the capstone.’

¹²Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12 (NIV)

Well, that’s one person’s opinion, you might say. It comes down to this: Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God or not?

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

Ok, but who is to say that the books we have in the Bible today are the ones that are supposed to be there. What about the gospel of Judas and all the “lost books” of the bible?

Let me ask you this one question…Do you really think that God, the Creator of the Universe, the Creator of all that is, including you and me, would allow anything of significance to be left out of His Holy Scriptures?

That brings us back to the importance of Jesus in this discussion…

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, ²in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. ³And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. Hebrews 1:1-4 (NASB)

Jesus Himself said in John 14:6 (NKJV)…

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

So the question of the names of God comes down to this…If Islam were to teach that the only way to get to Allah was through Jesus Christ, then it would be OK to call God, Allah. However, they do not teach that Jesus is the only way.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ²This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3 (NIV)

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

DAILY

Many churches in today’s society have cancelled their Sunday night services and their Wednesday night services. I remember going to Sunday night services when I was a kid and they would have a time for people to give testimony of what God had done in their lives that week. Wednesday night was traditionally a time of prayer. Whoever wanted to pray had the opportunity to do so.

How often is “enough?” Is it too much to want to meet more than once on a Sunday morning? What did the early church do?

⁴⁶They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— ⁴⁷all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47 (NLT)

They met daily to fellowship and worship God. This was a priority in their lives. It was not just an afterthought or something you just did on a Sunday morning. Maybe we have become too busy with the things of this world. Perhaps our priorities are a little askew.

Yes, a daily time alone with the Lord is good, a time of prayer, reading and studying His word. However, I believe we miss out on a great deal of what God has in store for us when we do not spend time in fellowship and worship with each other…as much as we possibly can.

Maybe it will be in the form of lunch with a friend where the conversation is centered on Christ and what He is doing in each other’s lives. Perhaps it will be fellowship found in a phone call or an email where Christ is honored.

Encourage each other daily (Hebrews 3:13) and “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)

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ANGER

People get angry about many different things. If a friend of ours gets hurt, we get angry at circumstances or people that might have done the hurting. If our parents won’t let us do something, we get angry with them.

What do most instances of anger have in common? As I pondered that question, I concluded that most anger comes from one thing…

The inability to control our own circumstances.

Stop and think about different times that you have become angry. Do they fit into this category? Below I’ve broken down some of the sub-headings under not begin able to control circumstances and some examples from the Bible…

Not getting something you want (Jealousy, envy)

Genesis 4:5-8 – Cain killed Abel because God liked Abel’s offering better than his offering.

Not understanding circumstances

Numbers 2:27 – Balaam’s donkey laid down when it saw an Angel and would not speak any more. Balaam did not see the Angel.

Not getting your own way

Numbers 24:10-11 – Balak was angry with Balaam for blessing Israel rather than cursing them as he wanted.

Not having your advice or instructions followed

Matthew 2:16 – The Wise Men didn’t come back and report to Herod about the location of the baby Jesus as he told them to.

Not hearing what you want to hear from someone (broken expectations)

Acts 7:54-58 – Stephen told the High priest and those with Him that Jesus was the Messiah and they were in the wrong

So what is the answer? How can we stop getting angry about all these things?

¹²Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. ¹³Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Romans 6:12-13 (NLT)

Giving ourselves completely to God is the only answer! He desires the best for our lives and anger does not help us achieve that…

¹⁹Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ²⁰Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. James 1:19-20 (NLT)

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BELIEVE

Doubt about the existence of God plays a big part in our culture today. At least it seems that way at times. People don’t want to place their faith in something or someone that they cannot see.

One of Jesus’ disciples was like that. Remember Thomas? He said to the other disciples, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25). The “it” Thomas was referring to was the resurrection or the rising from death to life, of Jesus. Jesus then appeared to Thomas and told him to touch Him and see if it was really him. He then said, “Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27). Below is Thomas’ response to Jesus…

²⁸Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas not only called Jesus Lord, but also recognized Him as the living God. Jesus’ response to Thomas is relevant for you and me today.

²⁹Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:28-29 (NIV)

You and I have not only the testimony of the Bible, God’s holy Word, but also the testimony of those who have chosen to live their lives for Christ. We see God’s handiwork all around us in His Creation, but the testimony of the saints who have gone on before us is equally as real.

We can read the life stories of martyrs from the 1^st Century to the present. We can read about people like Corrie Ten Boom whose faith in God directed and saved her life. We can see the hand of God working through people from Billy Graham to Chris Tomlin.

Is there any room for doubt when we see the evidence laid out before us?

Stop doubting and believe!

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD