Since the formation of America God has always gone before us, stood beside us and protected our back. Sadly, just like nations of old in the Bible, America often gets prideful and offers God the cold shoulder. We stop turning to Him, thinking we know better than He does in regards to living.
But a short tally of our “living” seems to indicate an immediate need to call on Him by name: Continue reading
If I called my best friend zeroth she might think it was an insult – demeaning and abusive language (she would actually think I was being silly and making up a word but go with me on this). The point is most people do not know what zeroth means. I had never heard of the word until last week when I was googling more attribute words for God that start with the letter Z. Continue reading
Just like you desire respect from others for the lifetime of positive actions or achievements you make, God desires respect because of all that He is. With NFL players making the choice not to stand for our national anthem, their negative actions may not bring them the respect they yearn for due to their lack of understanding the significance of their action.
However, God’s being far outreaches the capability of our mental capacity for understanding, whether we are an NFL player or one of the five smartest people in history (Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Terence Tao, Stephen Hawking, Nikola Tesla). Perceptive brains nor inanimate footballs make the man–God does!
The third commandment proclaims that we are to keep God’s name holy. But if you have a questioning mind you may be wondering what are some reasons that we should obey that commandment. So, here are seven selected reasons to help us better understand the need to respect God’s name.
1. God created us.
The fundamental reason is that God created us from nothing more than dirt. Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
2. God deserves our worship.
And for all that God is He deserves our worship. The definition of worship includes the word respect but is also described as glory to a superior being. In truth God reigns as our Supreme Being. Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
3. God gives us wisdom.
Usually we believe all wisdom comes from our educational or personal experiences. But how much wisdom can come from a pile of dust? Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
To fear God is to be in awe of Him.
King Solomon, the last king of Israel, knew his human mental capacity was limited and humbly asked God for a blessing of wisdom 1 Kings 3:6-9. Solomon’s heartfelt request prompted God to shower Solomon’s dust with more than just wisdom, God also showered Solomon with great wealth and honor.
4. God will judge us.
Reverend Billy Graham explains Jesus Christ came and was crucified on the Cross for our sins so that believers will not have to fear judgement, “…when we turn to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith, God forgives our sins and gives us the gift of eternal life.” But those who do not know Christ will be judged. Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
5. God is love.
1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. And out of this being of love flows attributes of patience, kindness, goodness, mercy and grace.
And by His grace we are saved. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Believers will have an eternal life in the presence of God’s unending love.
6. Respect pleases God.
Honor is a synonym for respect. Ephesians 6:2-3 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—”so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” In our fifth commandment God tells us if we respect our earthly parents it will please Him so much so that He will bless us with enjoyable long life. Since God is our heavenly Father, our actions of respect towards Him will also please Him.
7. The Bible tells us not only are we to respect God’s name and our parents, we are to respect all others as well.
All peoples, including other believers, and those in authority. 1 Peter 2:17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
That means government officials, the military, police offices and the American flag. Listen to one of the most rocking renditions of The Star Spangled Banner played by the fabulously patriotic Madison Rising band.
Peter, one of the original Twelve Disciples of Christ preached boldly after the resurrection. The book of Acts tells us he was the first to preach to the Gentiles. Among those Gentiles was a wealthy military man named Cornelius who was “righteous, God-fearing and respected by the Jewish people.” Cornelius “prayed to God regularly” and sought God in his life.
We know God knew Cornelius because God called him by name – “Cornelius!”. God told Cornelius to summons Peter and God told Peter to go to Cornelius’ house. Continue reading
God has a plan for our country. But He likes hearing our input! The Bible tells us we are to be in constant communication with God-
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Just like your best friend loves to hear how you are doing and what your needs are, God, though omniscient in His eternal loving manner, still desires us to tell Him about our lives. This includes being thankful in all things while presenting our wants and concerns.
During this election season the need for Christians to follow God’s will of prayer is crucial. Continue reading
Lift Him Up 