Tag Archives: Sunday Message

We Cannot Marginalize or Diminish the Name of the Lord

Bible Prophecy Watcher Posted on by

Nor Can We Name the Name of the Lord Euphemistically

“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 (KJV)

Names are extremely important and define who a person is identified by and with. Names mean something and in ancient times described a person and his/hers family genealogy. You are known by your name and by your name others know you. We can absolutely never minimize or marginalize the name of someone else. We should never call friends always by colloquial fashion (informal and unidentifying). Their name means something. But now concerning God’s name and how we identify with Him.

We must realize that the name of the Lord, the name of God Almighty is holy and there is no other name like this past, present and future in the universe. We must highly esteem the name of God and always be ready to give an account of our faith (1 Pet 3:15) in the name of the Lord. We must never be flippant concerning using the name of God. Never swear by it or anything else using His name in vain. 

In the Scriptures, the name of God in Hebrew is really Yahuah or Yahweh and Lord really Elohim. Jesus’ name is really Yahusha or Yeshua, meaning “salvation”. The Bible has been translated to use God, Lord and Jesus as valid names that represent who He is. I personally like to use His Hebrew names.

But one thing many don’t realize is that Ex 20:7 (above) says we should never use the name of the Lord in vain. Did you know that using God’s name in a casual or idle way is also using His name in vain? It does!

There are many Christians today that seem to refrain from mentioning God’s name in conversation or in witnessing. They casually represent the name above all names (Phil 2:9) in a euphemistic way. (Webster’s Dictionary defines a euphemism as: “the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant”). They use terms like: “cosmic grandfather”, “Joe”, “my buddy”, “big guy in the sky” or “the man upstairs”. These are IMO, generic terms easy to use but show a lack any real zeal or relationship. They seem to refer to the name that is above all names — a name that means power, healing, salvation, strength, might, the name of the Lord, Jesus, or God Almighty — but the person using these euphemisms seem to display their lack of the knowledge of God. It would be like always calling on God or referring Him to as “buddy” which is totally irreverent and way too casual. 

God’s Name is Holy! He’s Not Our Buddy!

You see many avoid using the name of God or Lord because maybe they’re trying to be coy or they have a hard time relating their faith by using God’s name to another. This is sad for if we are embarrassed to identify and express the name of God in talking to others about Him then what is the basis of our faith? God wants us to use His name in praying to Him, in worshiping Him, in testifying about Him to others. For if we don’t and use some type of euphemism, then how will the person or persons we are talking to know who we are really talking about?

People marginalize (diminish) or lessen the name of the Lord for fear of offending their audience. Euphemisms for God’s name were created to speak God’s name without giving proper reverence to His position, power and name.  To speak about God to another without using His name is a tragic thing and we should never do it. To do it offends God and could show us that maybe we are not as real about believing in Him as we ought to.

Friends, the bottom line is make sure you always strive to use God’s name in an honorable and reverent way and please, please, please never substitute His name for any other name or phrase that’s suppose to tell the listener who exactly you are referring to.

One day all will bow their knee and confess that …

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” -Phil 2:10-11 (KJV)

This verse defines the shear importance of the name of Jesus and we should never shrink back or be afraid of using His name in all manner of our witnessing and testifying about Him. 

 

 -BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman

“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” -Heb 5:14 (KJV)

GLORY TO GOD!

PJA-Red1

 

Thrown Outside Where’s There’s Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth

Bible Prophecy Watcher Posted on by

Terrifying Place. But Who’s Going There?

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” -Isa 61:10 (KJV)

The Pretender Who Snuck in Only to be Tossed Out

You will rarely hear at your church, from your pastor or elders what I’m about to speak about today according to God’s word. It’s not a pleasant subject but one that applies to those that: pretend to be a Christian, care more about worldly affairs than their relationship with Jesus or play a hypocrite in your faith. 

Matt 22:1-14 describes a king who made a wedding for his son and invited many to attend. The ones originally invited (the Jews) declined. The prophets of the Old Testament were invited next but were slain by the original invitees. So God sent His wrath to destroy those. Then He said to His servants go and invite all others (Gentiles) so the wedding was furnished with guests.

Now it gets very interesting …

The king arrived to view His guests and found one without a wedding garment for it was an ancient custom to provide a wedding garment to guests who were to attend the planned wedding. But in this case one of the attendees stood out as one not clothed in a designated wedding garment (or robe) and the king confronted him and asked him how’d you get in here. But the intruder was speechless!

The intruder, the one without a wedding garment, had nothing to say because he knew his nakedness (in his sin). Could he have snuck in? And why didn’t the servants recognize he had no garment on? Did the intruder shed his garment once at the wedding? We don’t know for sure but what we do know…

We have been invited to the wedding, in fact, as a Christian we are the of Bride of Christ (Eph 5:23-28) and as such should be dressed in a robe of righteousness but are we, are you? Now concerning the wedding garment:

Only those who put on the Lord Jesus, who have a personal relationship with Christ, whose mind is focused on God, who live by faith in Christ, and to whom He is their number one priority in life will be clothed with a God-given wedding garment. Combine these with the righteousness of Christ (which you receive once saved), along with the justification and sanctification of the Spirit, then your wedding garment is complete. Absolutely no other way exists for man himself to create one of these wedding garments. If he does, he will be found out and tossed out. 

The intruder, the pretender – you see he was not a real Christian, he was a fake and the king noticed right away. This person did not take Christianity serious, was wishy-washy in living a Christian life. Was a hypocrite. You see this wedding garment – our garments – are an inward and spiritual thing. Many in the church today, many who claim to be a Christian, are false friends to Jesus Christ who don’t know Him and certainly don’t love Him. Matt 7:21-23 points this out clearly.

A further definition of this wedding garment – a robe of righteousness – can be found in Isa 61:10 (see above verse). This being said, we must fully examine ourselves daily to ensure that our robe has not become stained by sin without repentance and the living of an unholy, Godless life.

Friends, this is extremely important to whether or not you will be granted access to His kingdom, His home in heaven when you pass from this life to the next. You see many Christians today are dressed in robes of self-righteousness – arrogance, prideful attitudes and ways, think they are always right, making accommodations for their fleshly desires, and the sitting on the fence between Christianity and the world. And those that pretend to put on Christ, those who “play” church, those who cater to worldly cares and desires, those that rarely repent of their sin and those that live an unholy lifestyle will be found out by the King and then tossed out of His kingdom into HELL with there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is the truth for it is written in His Word!

Bottom-line: The pretenders, the hypocrites, the fake Christians will NOT enter the gates of His Kingdom but will be destined for Hell and folks this is an eternal destination. No purgatory, no working off your sin in some doctrine of devils place promoted by one of the most populous religions on earth. NO – NO – NO!!

Today is the day for us to look in the spiritual mirror and see if we have put on Christ in all areas of our lives. We must strive to enter the narrow gate and stay on the narrow road -Luke 13:24. Salvation is not a one time prayer, it is not a about a once saved always save doctrine that many very famous Bible pastors, preachers, teachers and experts teach. It’s instead about you working out your salvation each and every day before the Lord -Phil 2:12-13. We sin therefore we must repent and strive to change our attitudes and ways.

Consider this very carefully…

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” -Matt 22:14 (KJV)

Conclusion: Many are called to the marriage wedding feast, that is, to a salvation in Christ, but few are able to dress in their God-given wedding garment, that is, in name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God – 1 Cor 6:11.

Will you be found dressed in an approved wedding garment of the King or tossed out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth?

 

-BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman

GLORY TO GOD!

PJA-Red1

 

How Often Do You Pray?

Bible Prophecy Watcher Posted on by

Where is your Prayer Closet?

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” -Matt 6:6 (NASB)

WBefore we begin I think it pertinent to describe that this message concerns not praying to just any God; e.g. Allah, Buddha, Baal, Mary, or any other of the thousands of false gods people worship these days. I am talking about praying to the one true God: to Almighty God – the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, YAHWEH God, Jehovah God, Elohim, the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible.

So the question this morning is how often do you get alone with Almighty God in serious and sincere prayer? Do you have a prayer closet or somewhere you go to go one on one with the Lord? Now I know some folks do actually have a closet they go into and pray. For others it may be another location but the point is we all need to have a regular place to come before the Lord in prayer and supplication presenting ourselves to Him so we can communicate and He can talk to us as well. Let me add that this cannot be in front of the TV in at a commercial break. This can’t be while you are engaged in other activities; granted you can pray anytime but the prayer that I’m talking of today has to be genuine dedicated prayer, dedicated communication just between you and the Lord. This has to be a time where your mind is focused on the Lord so you can hear what He has to say to you. This is of major importance to any professing Christian today for many of the faith do not make it a practice to seek Him. Consider what the Apostle Paul said in the Book of Romans:

“There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.” -Rom 3:11 (HCSB)

Let me say that if you claim to be a Christian and do not spend time seeking the Lord in daily sincere prayer, it’s time to reevaluate your faith and position in God Almighty. Do you really know Him and does He know you? Luke 6:46.

The world is becoming increasing treacherous to Christians and highly disrespectful and rebellious to Almighty God. People in the Middle East are getting their heads chopped off for their faith. Others have been tortured for their stand in Christ. Here in the US, Christians are demeaned, persecuted and unjustly fined for their belief and stand in the teachings presented in the Bible and their faith in Jesus Christ. American justice has been perverted, twisted and turned against the God of the Bible. These are examples of real life and real-time events that call us to no-kidding prayer.

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.” -Col 4:2 (HCSB)

When we pray we should pray several times a day seeking the Lord, inquiring of His guidance and direction in our lives. How often do you seriously seek the Lord? Only when you have a problem or are in trouble? Maybe at the end of the tiring day sitting in your easy chair watching TV while slowly dosing off to sleep? Or perhaps 5 min before you go to bed … ? How serious about and in prayer have you been? If you were to be given a score on your prayer life what would you get? An “A” or “C” or “F”?

You know prayer can also be in thanking the Lord for what He has blessed you with, and what He has done for you. How often do you really seek the Lord? C’mon now, how often? I’m not talking about just praying or sitting quietly at church while other things are going on. Can you say that you seek the Lord daily; can you say that you call on Him to help you understand His will for your life? Consider the following verse:

“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:” -Isa 55:6 (KJV)

What does this verse say to you and what does it tell you? Will there come a time when He won’t be found or won’t be near? Is this verse speaking that one day as you keep rejecting Him and His outstretched hand that by the hardness of your heart you may miss His presence or opportunity for salvation? As He calls to you and you keep stiff-arming Him will His Spirit will not be found again by you. Gen 6:3. Or could this mean that we are to seek Him while we still are alive and before death where His voice, calling and nearness will not be found? However you’d like to view it I think you would agree that the time to seek and call upon Him is now, today, right here. 

“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. ” -Psalm 145:18 (NASB)

Friends, we must seek the one true God. We must pray and call upon Him. We must get away and have periods of quiet time where we can shut off the world and listen to His still small voice – 1 Kings 19:11-13. This is a must for a professing, practicing and believing Christian wherever you are located. Prayer is something no man can strip from us. In these last days the urgency in prayer is even more crucial that ever before. The big question before you and me is do we pray with candor and do we pray in truth. God knows our hearts and measures us not by our minds but by our hearts -Jer 17:10 . So where are you at today? 

“I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” -Jer 17:10 (KJV)

___________________________________

Grace and peace

-BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman

GIVE ALMIGHTY GOD ALL THE GLORY FOR HE IS KING and HE IS LORD!

PJA-Red1