THE TENDER COMMANDMENTS – SERIES

SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2003

PART 4 – “TAKE CARE WITH THE NAME”

WATCH CLOSELY AS I FLASH SOME NAMES UP ON THE SCREEN.

WHAT THOUGHTS RACE THROUGH YOUR MIND IN AN INSTANT?

WHAT IMAGES LEAP TO THE SCREEN OF YOUR MEMORY?

WHAT EMOTIONS BRUSH ACROSS YOUR HEART?

FOR SOME OF YOU THOSE NAMES ARE NOT RECOGNIZABLE

BUT WHEN YOU HEAR A FAMILIAR NAME – AND FAMILIAR NAME - -THOUGHTS AND ASSOCIATIONS IMMEDIATELY SURFACE IN YOUR MIND

LET ME TRY SOME YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH

(RUN NAMES)

YOU THINK CERTAIN THINGS!!!

YOU REMEMBER CERTAIN EVENTS

YOU EXPERIENCE CERTAIN EMOTIONS!!!

WHY???

BEC THOSE NAMES REPRESENT SOMETHING TO YOU ABOUT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS:

WHO THEY ARE…

WHAT THEY’VE DONE

HOW THEY’VE LIVE!!!

THE NAMES ARE A SUMMARY TO YOU OF ALL THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE!!!

AS A PASTOR……ONE OF MY FAVORITE JOBS IS DEDICATING LITTLE CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS BEFORE GOD’S PEOPLE!!!

IT’S REALLY A DELIGHT JUST TO SPEAK THE NAMES OF THE LITTLE ONES ALOUD BEFORE THE CONGREGATION!!!

SOME OF THE NAMES COME RIGHT OUT OF THE BIBLE!

I’VE HELD JOSHUA’S…..AND RUTH………AND STEPHEN,………..LUKE……

AND DEANNA, DORON, DAMARIS, LEIGHTON, CAMERON, KATHYRYN, LAURA…..

AND THE LIST GOES ON!!!

HAVEN’T HAD ANY DORCAS’S YET!!!

I KNOW A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY MAKE A PROPHETIC DECISION TO NAME THEIR CHILDREN A CERTAIN NAME BEC OF WHAT THAT NAME MEANS TO THEM.

WE DID THAT IN REGARDS TO LUKE!!!

WE EVEN TAKE THE TIME TO TELL THE CONGREGATON WHAT THE NAME MEANS WHEN WE DEDICATE A CHILD!!!

PEOPLE’S NAMES REPRESENT SOMETHING!!!

A NAME REPRESENTS WHO THEY ARE……..AND POSSIBLY (IN A PROPHETIC SENSE) WHO THEY MIGHT BECOME!!!

GOD WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PHENOMENON THAT HE ACTUALLY NAME PEOPLE HIMSELF…….OR CHANGED THEIR NAMES AT CERTAIN KEY MOMENTS IN THEIR LIVES!!!

WHEN THEIR CHARACTER CHANGED, HE CHANGED THEIR NAME!!!!

HE TOLD ABRAHAM…….ONE DAY…..”NO LONGER SHALL YOUR NAME BE CALLED ABRAM (EXALTED FATHER)  BUT YOUR NAME SHALL BE ABRAHAM (FATHER OF A MULTITUDE)……FOR I HAVE MAKE YOU A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS!!!

THE LORD JESUS CHANGED SIMON’S NAME TO PETER - - A ROCK!!!

THE LORD WAS TELLING PETER….THAT HE WOULD BE CHANGED FROM A WISHY WASHY UNRELIABLE MAN TO SOMEONE WHO WAS FIRM AND STRONG AND WOULD TAKE A STAND!!!

WHEN A MAN OR A WOMAN RECIEVES JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR……HIS OR HER NAME BECOMES ETERNAL!!!!

IT IS WRITTEN DOWN IN WHAT IS CALLED IN THE BIBLE “THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE”

IF A NAME REPRESENTS A PERSON’S CHARACTER AND REPUTATION……AND IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GOD……

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH PROFANITY TODAY!????

WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE CASUALLY TAKE THE NAME OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND LORD JESUS IN VAIN????

I WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE THAT THIS MIGHT BE AN ISSUE OF DEEP CONCERN TO THE LORD…

BUT WHY WOULD HE MAKE IT ONE OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS!!!

WHY SUCH A STERN WARNING???

WHY ALL THE CAUTION???

DO YOU THINK IT IS POSSIBLE THAT GOD KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN MY LIFE IF I BECOME CARELESS AND FLIPPANT ABOUT THE NAME OF GOD????

NOW….

WE KNOW WE LIVE IN A DAY WHERE THE AIR IS BLUE WITH PROFANITY!!!

YOU CAN HARDLY WATCH A MOVIE……PICK UP A NOVEL……OR EVEN LISTEN TO THE RADIO WITHOUT HEARING GOD’S NAME TAKEN IN VAIN!!!

ONE OF THE DEFINITIONS FOR THE WORD “PROFANE” SPEAKS OF ‘DEBASING OR DEFILING” THAT WHICH IS HOLY OR WORHTY OF REVERENCE!!!

IT’S AN ATTACK AGAINST SOMETHING THAT IS HOLY!!!!

IT’S AN ATTEMPT TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT IS EXALTED…..OR REVERED AND JERK IT DOWN FROM ITS PEDESTAL!!!

WHEN I PROFANE SOMETHING……I TRY TO YANK IT DOWN TO MY LEVEL…..SO I CAN REDUCE IT TO BEING NOTHING MORE THAN I AM!!!!

SO WHEN I PROFANE THE LORD GOD……….IT IS NOTHING LESS THAN A DENIAL OF HIS HOLINESS AND MAJESTY AND POWER!!!!

IT IS AN ATTEMPT TO SOMEHOW PULL GOD DOWN TO A COMMON LEVEL AND MAKE HIM EQUAL WITH ME!!!

AND THAT IS A GRAVE AND SERIOUS BUSINESS!!!

THERE ARE THOSE OUTSIDE THE LORD WHO CAN’T STAND TO THINK OF ANYONE OR ANYTHING ‘HIGHER’ OR MORE LOFTY THAN THEY ARE!!!

ON A GREATLY SMALLER SCALE……LOOK AT WHAT THE TABLOIDS AND GOSSIP MAGAZINES SEEK TO DO TO ‘CELEBRITIES”

THE PUBLIC SEEMS TO HAVE AN INSATIABLE APPETITE FOR ANYTHING THAT WOULD DRAG FAMOUS ATHLETES OR PERFORMERS….OR PRESIDENTS….PRINCESSES….PREACHERS….AND HIGH OFFICIALS DOWN TO THE LOWEST LEVEL!!!

WHEN THAT HAPPENS WE CAN SAY…..”THEY’RE NO BETTER THAN ME…..I’M AS GOOD AS THEY ARE”!!!!

AND BY CURSING…….WE ARE DESTROYING THE CONCEPT OF A LOFTY GOD ABOVE US!!!

IN OTHER WORDS……I HAVE SUCCEEDED IN MY OWN MIND OF FEELING THAT I CAN TAKE THIS GOD WHO APPEARS TO BE HOLY….AND REDUCE HIM TO SOMEONE JUST LIKE ME!!!

TO FOLLOW THAT TRACK TO ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION…..THERE WOULD NOT BE ANYTHING SACRED LEFT IN THE UNIVERSE!!!!

IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN A MONASTERY……YOU’LL PROBABLY HEAR THE WORD ‘DAMN’ SEVERAL TIMES THIS WEEK………OR EVEN BEFORE LUNCH IS OVER TODAY!!!

WHAT DOES THAT TERM MEAN???

IT MEANS TO CONDEMN TO A FATE!!!!

PEOPLE WILL SEEMINGLY DAMN ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING!!!

IT’S G-D THIS…..AND G-D THAT!!!

MY G-D CAR……MY G-D SCHEDULE…….AND MY G-D BACK PROBLEMS……..AND THE LIST GOES ON!!!

IT’S SO COMMON!!!

IT SEEMS TO BE A PART OF COMMON SPEECH!!!

SO DOES IT MATTER??/

WELL….GOD THINKS IT MATTERS!!!

I’LL TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MATTERS…….

HE MADE IT ONE OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS!!!

WHY WOULD HE INCLUDE IT????

BEC HE KNOWS THAT EVERY TIME THOSE TERMS ARE USED……INCREDIBLE DESTRUCTION COMES INTO MY LIFE AND THE LIVE OF THOSE I LOVE!!!!

WHEN YOU DON’T PUT GOD FIRST…….WHEN YOU DON’T HONOR HIS NAME………

I’’M TELLING YOU…..LIFE JUST DOESN’T WORK!!!!

IT DOES MATTER WHEN WE USE GOD’S NAME IN VAIN!!!!!

THERE MAY BE MORE TO GOD’S ORDER OF THINGS THAN MANY PEOPLE THINK!!!

I’VE HEARD MEN SAY…..”GD THIS HOME!!!……GOD THAT WOMAN!!!…..GD!!!THOSE KIDS!!!

I DON’T THINK THEY HAVE ANY REAL IDEA OF WHAT THEY’VE SAID……

I DON’T THINK THEY HAVE ANY CONCEPT THAT THESE WORDS AND TERMS DO NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS!!!

IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW JESUS WARNS US….BUT I TELL YOU THAT MEN WILL HAVE TO GIVE ACCOUNT ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT FOR EVERY CARELESS WORD THEY HAVE SPOKEN”  (MATT 12:36)

HE WENT ON TO SAY…..YOUR WORDS NOW REFLECT YOUR FATE THEN…….EITHER YOU WILL BE JUSTIFIED BY THEM OR YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED”!!!

WHY WOULD GOD SAY…”DON’T TAKE MY NAME IN VAIN???

BEC HE LOVES YOU AND ME SO VERY MUCH!!!

THE PROBLEM WITH MOST PEOPLE IS THAT THEY THINK THEY CAN GET BY WITH IT BEC THEY SAY ANYTHING THEY WANT TO AND “NOTHINGS HAPPENED TO ME YET”!!!

YET WHEN YOU READ THE SCRIPTURES YOU DISCOVER SOMETHING ABOUT SOWING AND REAPING….

AND IT IS THIS:

YOU NEVER…..NEVER REAP IN THE SAME SEASON THAT YOU SOW!!!!!

(LET ME REPEAT THAT -  AND IT REALLY HOLDS TRUE)

AND GOD’S WORD IS TRUE!!!

AND USING HIS NAME IN VAIN WILL AFFECT YOUR LIFE!!!

WHEN WE USE THE NAME OF GOD IN A CARELESS WAY….

WHEN WE READILY CALL UPON HIM TO “DAMN “ OR CONDEMN A PERSON OR PLACE OR SITUATION……IT IS MY BELIEF THAT WE SET SOMETHING IN MOTION IN THE SPIRIT….

BEYOND OUR FINITE UNDESTANDING!!!

THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF OUR GOD!!!

THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST!!!

IN FACT……..LET ME TELL YOU HOW POWERFUL THOSE NAMES ARE WHEN USED IN THE RIGHT CONTEXT….

THE BIBLE SAYS……….THE DEMONS SCRED AND WRITHED AND TORE THEMSELVES FROM THE PEOPLE THEY WERE POSSESSING WHEN HIS NAME WAS MENTIONED!!!

I BELIEVE THAT THE AUTHORITY OF HIS VOICE…..AND THE AUTHORITY OF HIS NAME……..THAT THE EYES OF BLIND PEOPLE WERE OPENED….

WITHERED LEGS WERE MADE STRONG…..

AND DEAD BODIES CAME UP OUT OF THE GRAVE!!!!

THAT’S A POWERFUL POWERFUL NAME!!!!

SO WHY WOULDN’T WE BELIEVE THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO THE WAY WE USE HIS NAME!!!

GOOD CONSEQUENCES FOR USING IT RIGHTLY….

AND EVIL CONSEQUENCES FOR USING IT CASUALLY OR WITH EVIL INTENT!!!

THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO THE NAME OF GOD WHENEVER ITS USED!!!!

THINK ABOUT WHAT IS THEN BEING SAID WHEN WE DAMN SOMEONE!!!

WE ARE KNOCKING SOMETHING DOWN………WE ARE PRESSING SOMETHING BACK IN THEM……….

IF TO DAMN MEANS TO CONSIGN TO A FATE………….WE ARE LITERALLY SAYING….”MAY YOU COME TO DESTRUCTION……MAY YOU HAVE A DESTRUCTIVE END!!!!

PLEASE REMEMBER…

GOD GAVE US THIS 3 COMMANDMENT BECAUSE HE LOVES US!!!

HE’S NOT JUST SAYING….”HEY…I’M REALLY SOMEBODY AND I’D LIKE YOU TO START REVERENCING MY NAME …IF YOU DON’T MIND”!!!

CERTAINLY HIS NAME IS IMPORTANT TO HIM…..BUT GOD LOVES YOU AND ME……AND WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE……WHAT DO YOU DO???

YOU CONSTANTLY REMIND THEM OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS!!!

WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE CASUALLY USE THOSE TERMS….THEY HAVE NO IDEA THE DAMNING RESULTS OF THE WORDS THEY USE!!!

THERE IS INCREDIBLE POWER IN THE WORDS THAT ARE SPOKEN IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME!!!

WE REVERENCE HIS NAME BEC THERE IS POWER IN THAT NAME!!!

GOD KNOWS THAT THE WORDS I SPEAK WILL TEND TO AFFECT WHAT I ACTUALLY EXPERINECE IN LIFE!!!

THERE IS A CORRELATION!!!!

LISTEN TO KING DAVID AND WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THIS ISSUE!!!

FOR YOU O GOD HAVE HEARD MY VOWS…..YOU HAVE GIVEN ME THE HERITAGE OF THOSE WHO FEAR YOUR NAME!!!! (PS 61:5)

DAVID IS SAYING……..FOR ALL THOSE WHO FEAR HIS NAME….LOVE HIS NAME….AND HONOR HIS NAME…….THE LORDS BRINGS THOSE PEOPLE INTO A HERITAGE - - - THE HERITAGE OF THOSE WHO HAVE HONORED HIS NAME DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS SINCE TIME BEGAN!!!

IT IS A HERITAGE OF BLESSING AND HONOR…..

IT IS A HERITAGE OF FRUITFULNESS AND LIFE IMPACT AND GREAT JOY!!!

YOU CAN’T DISHONOR SOMETHING THAT IS THE VERY SOURCE OF ALL BLESSING!!!!

FOR THAT MATTER HOW CAN WE STAND SILENTLY BY WHILE HIS NAME IS BEING DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD?

HOW DO WE GO ON WATCHING A MOVIE OR READING A BOOK WHERE THE NAME OF JESUS IS DELIBERATELY DEFAMED???

I HAVE SEEN MEN BEAT UP MEN BEC OF SOMETHING SOMEBODY SAID ABOUT A WIFE….OR GIRLFRIEND…….A MOTHER OR A SISTER!!!

IV’E SEEN MEN READY TO RISK LIFE AND LIMB TO DEFEND THE NAME AND REPUTATION OF A LOVED ONE!!!

NAMES ARE IMPORTANT!!!!!

AND CERTAINLY THE NAME OF GOD….THE NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME IS IMPORTANT!!!!

THERE IS ETERNAL SALVATION IN THE NAME!!!

HIS NAME MEANS LIFE!!!!

JOHN 20 :31….BUT THESE THINGS ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST….THE SON OF GOD….AND THAT BELEIVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME”

ACTS 4:12……NOR IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER….FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED”!!!!

THERE IS NO OTHER NAME!!!!

SALVATION FROM ETERNAL HELL IS FOUND IN NO OTHER NAME!!!

AND THAT IS THE NAME WE WOULD CASUALLY MISUSE OR DELIBERATELY DRAG THROUGH THE MUD!!!

PICTURE IN YOU MIND A HORRIBLE DARKNESS……FILLED WITH DESPAIR AND AGONY AND FEAR AND LONELINESS AND DEATH….

THEN PICTURE AN OPEN DOOR…….A DOOR THAT OPENS INTO LIFE AND HOPE AND BEAUTY AND HEALING AND BOUNDLESS JOY.

CAN YOU IMAGINE SOMEONE SPITTING ON THAT DOOR ….OR THROWING FILTH ON IT???

CAN YOU CONCEIVE OF SOME ONE TAKING A SPRAY CAN AND SCRIBBLING OVER IT WITH VILE GRAFITI???

THE VERY DOORWAY INTO LIFE!!!

THE WORLD’S ONLY HOPE!!! IS THAT DOOR!!!!

THE ONLY ESCAPE FROM HEL……AND DESPAIR IS THAT DOOR!!!

THERE IS NO OTHER DOOR!!!!

AND THIS IS THE DOOR WE WOULD TREAT WITH CASUAL CONTEMPT!!!!

PEOPLE SAY….”WELL PASTOR…..YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND….I GREW UP AROUND THIS KIND OF TALK…..

OR

I’VE LEARD TO TALK THIS WY BEC I’VE BEEN AROUND THE BOYS!!!

WE TRY TO SAY THAT WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR MOUTHS IS REALLY NO INDICATION OF WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR HEARTS!!!!

BUT THE BIBLE ALWAYS LINKS WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR MOUTHS WITH OUR HEARTS!!!!

JESUS HIMSELF SAID THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!

IT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR HIM TO REPEAT IT SEVERAL TIMES!!!

MATTHEW 12…….YOU BROOD OF VIPERS….HOW CAN YOU WHO ARE EVIL SAY ANYTHING GOOD/    FOR OUT OF THE OVERFLOW OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS”

MATTHEW 15:18 ……BUT THE THINGS THAT COME OUT OF THE MOUTH COME FROM THE HEART…..AND THESE MAKE A MAN ‘UNCLEAN’

LUKE 6:45……THE GOOD MAN BRINGS GOOD THINGS OUT OF THE GOOD STORED UP IN HIS HEART…..AND THE EVIL MAN BRINGS EVIL THINGS OUT OF THE EVIL STORED UP IN HIS HEART….

FOR OUT OF THE OVER FLOW OF HIS HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKS!!!!

ADMIT IT OR NOT…..LIKE IT OR NOT….

THE MOUTH SPEAKS WHAT IS IN THE HEART!!!

THE WAY YOU TALK IS BEC OF THE WAY YOUR HEART IS……AND THE LORD KNOWS THAT!!!

IF THERE ARE BITTER AND HURTFUL AND PROFANE WORDS COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH………THAT IS AN INDICATION TO ME THAT SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG IN MY HEART!!!

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD YOURSELF MAKING A STATEMENT THAT COMES OUT SOUNDING SO BITTER YOU ARE ALMOST SURPRISED BY IT?

IT SOUNDED SO ACIDIC THAT YOU IMMEDIATELY TRY TO SOFTEN IT?

YOU MIGHT EVEN SAY….”WELL….I DIDN’T MEAN THAT QUITE THE WAY IT SOUNDED>”

BUT WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN IS THAT YOU DIDN’T MEAN TO SAY IT OUT LOUD QUITE THE WAY YOU DID….

BUT IN YOUR HEART…..YOU REALLY ARE THAT BITTER!!!

AND WHAT COMES THROUGH THE MOUTH IS AN OVERFLOW OF THE HEART!!!

WHEN I SAY SOMETHING PROFANE OR CRUDE OR BITTER IT OUGHT TO IMMEDIATELY PROMPT ME THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY HEART!!!

IT OUGHT TO BE A KIND OF WAKE-UP CALL.

I OUGHT TO GET ALONE WITH THE LORD AS QUICKLY AS I CAN AND ASK THE H.S. TO SEARCH AND EXAMINE MY HEART!!!

PERHAPS YOU SAY….”WELL I DON’T DO THAT…….I DON’T TALK THAT WAY….I DON’T SWEAR…….I WOULD NEVER SAY GD ANYTHING……..I’M A CHRISTIAN…….AND I WOULD NEVER TALK THAT WAY!!!

BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO USE HIS NAME IN VAIN - - SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE WAYS TO PROFANE HIM!!!

I HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF THEM IN MY LIFE AND PERHAPS YOU HAVE TOO!!!

AND ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS TO BE VERY VERY CASUAL OR CARELESS IN OUR PRAYERS!!!

THE LORD CAUTIONS US AGAINST VAIN REPETITIONS!!!

VAIN MEANS EMPTY!!!

IT MEANS SAYING THINGS OVER AND OVER WITHOUT CONVICTION!!!

SOME TEACH THAT WHEN YOU COME TO THE LORD…..JUST ASK HIM FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT…

A BIGGER HOUSE….A NEW CAR…..A BETTER JOB….NEW CLOTHES…..

THEN….WHEN YOU’RE DONE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SAY….”IN JESUS NAME, AMEN” AND YOU’LL GET WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR!!!!

WHY DO WE SAY…”IN JESUS NAME” AT THE END OF OUR PRAYERS???

IS IT LIKE SIGNING OFF…..”OVER AND OUT”!!!

“IN JESUS NAME…..CATCH YA TOMORROW”!!!

WHY DO WE SAY THOSE WORDS???

HERE’S WHY

BEC WHEN WE PRAY……WE’RE SAYING THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE JUST ASKED FOR……WE BELIEVE IN OUR HEARTS IS THE VERY THING THAT JESUS WOULD BE ASKING FOR IF HE WERE DOING THE ASKING!!!!

KNOWING THIS SHOULD ALTER THE WAY WE PRAY!!!

WE WILL BE MORE CAREFUL ABOUT MAKING A LIST OF SELFISH DEMANDS AND ENDING THE PRAYER BY MUTTERING…”IN JESUS NAME”

BEFORE I USE HIS NAME….I NEED TO FIRST ASK MYSELF….”IS THIS WHAT HE WOULD BE ASKING FOR???

IS THIS WHAT HE WANTS?!!!!

LISTEN……WATCH THE NAME!!!

TAKE CARE OF THE NAME!!!

THIS IS THE NAME TO WHICH EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW..

THIS IS THE NAME THAT CARRIES WITH IT POWER WHEN IT IS SPOKEN!!!

THERE IS LIFE AND SALVATION IN THIS NAME!!!

JESUS EVEN SAID….”LISTEN …WHEN YOU PRAY, SAY…”HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME”!!!

WHEN YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THE HOLINESS OF GOD….IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE CASUAL!!!

WHEN YOU COME TO SEE HIM FOR WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE…..THERE IS NO WAY IN THE WORLD YOU COULD EVER TREAT HIM CASUALLY AGAIN!!!

ONCE YOU HAVE A VISION OF GOD…….YOU’LL HAVE A VISION OF YOURSELF!!!

WHEN YOU SEE HIM……YOU’LL SEE YOU!!!

AND WHAT WAS ISAIAH’S THE PROPHETS FIRST RESPONSE WHEN HE WAS THE LORD IN ALL HIS HOLINESS AND MIGHT???

“OH NO…..I’M DOOMED….BEC OF MY MOUTH…….I’VE SAID UNCLEAN THINGS…..AND UNWORTHY THINGS”!!!

AND IF THAT DOESN’T HELP YOU…..THEN IMAGINE THIS……

THINK OF AN ANGEL WHO STANDS IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD…..TAKING HIS NAME SO CASUALLY!!!

NOT!!!!!

WELLL……IF THIS IS BEEN HAPPENING …..THEN HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS……..

THERE’S A REMEDY!!!

1.     RECOGNIZE THE SIN AND CONFESS IT!!!

2.     ACCEPT HIS FORGIVENESS!!

3.     PRACTICE HIS PRESENCE!!!!

PRAYER:

LORD….I DON’T KNOW WHY IT’S TAKEN ME SO LONG TO REALIZE HOW BLIND I AM. 

I KNOW THAT TAKING YOUR NAME IN VAIN IS AS MUCH AN ISSUE OF THE HEART AS IT IS THE LIPS!!!

HELP ME…..O GOD…..SEACHER OF HEARTS…..TO REMEMBER THAT IT IS OUT OF THE HEART THAT THE MOUTH SPEAKS!!!

CLEANSE ME …I PRAY….FORM THE INSIDE OUT!!!

AND LORD….PLEASE PUT A GUARD OVER MY MOUTH…….THAT I MAY NEVER TAKE YOU FOR GRANTED OR SPEAK OF YOU IN A LIGHT OR FOOLISH WAY!!!

I DON’T WANT TO OFFER GLIB PRAYER AND EMPTY WORSHIP!!!

REMIND ME OFTEN…..LORD…..THAT THE PLACE OF FELLOWSHIP WITH YOU…….

THE PLACE WITH GREEN PASTURES AND STILL WATERS……….LIES BETWEEN MT. SINAI…….(WHERE THE LAW WAS GIVEN) AND MT CALVARY (WHERE THE LAW WAS DISPLAYED BY LOVE)

AND SO TODAY LORD…..OPEN MY EYES TO THE FIRE AND BEAUTY OF YOUR AWESOME HOLINESS!!!

TOUCH MY LIPES AND I WILL BE CLEAN….

IN JESUS NAME….AMEN!!!