I would like to take this opportunity to thank our pastors for – ALL their tireless work, actually, but right now, focusing on their sermon preparation, from week to week. An excellent example was this morning, when our associate pastor took one of his turns at the pulpit, and reminded us that, when we pray, “Hallowed be your Name”, we need to remember that we are commanded NOT to “take the Name of The Lord, your God, in vain”. Besides the idea that “He’s More Than Just a Swear Word”, as an old song put it, taking God’s Name in vain can also consist of publicly identifying with God’s people, who are CALLED by His Name…then living as if we were NOT a part of that group. Cases in point – if I look at a woman, other than my own wife, and allow lust for her to dwell in my heart, or if I get frustrated and use profane - or even discouraging – language that offends others, I am dragging the Name of Almighty God – which is to be considered “hallowed” – holy, sacred, set apart for a very special purpose – through the mud! I almost frequently wear shoes from a mail order catalog. They are steel-toed, with slip-resistant safety soles, yet look like dress oxfords. They polish up nicely, for both formal end everyday use, for over a year, but eventually, they show signs of age, and I order a new pair – relegating the old ones to work or painting shoe use. Currently I own 3 such pairs – an older, deteriorating pair, for painting, etc. ; a second pair, which I wear each day to work, year-round; and the newest pair is reserved for church and other formal occasions. The newest pair is “set apart”, for a special purpose. To use them more often would be to subject them to more rapid aging, and to a less attractive appearance. Eventually, the triage procedure will take place, as it did when this pair arrived: My former dress pair became my new everyday pair; my old everyday pair became “painting shoes”; and my old painting shoes, with a hole in one of them, received a well-deserved burial in the trash. Do we want God’s Holy (set apart, for a special purpose) Name to end up in the trash? I hope not. I hope we, together, can find the strength, on Tuesday morning, Thursday evening, Saturday afternoon, etc., to honor the commitments we make on Sunday morning, and Keep His Name set apart, for a special purpose - myself, especially, included, so all your prayers for strength and focus greatly appreciated. Thank you, and feel free to message me in private, if you have needs that you’d like me to pray for, on your behalf. P.S.: Attached, for those interested, is a link to a song I wrote and posted on qmmhome, about why His Name is so precious – about what He willingly did, to help us, when we could not help ourselves. If you like it, complement the TRUE composer, God, Who used Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ” to inspire these thoughts, which I merely put into song. Here is the link. May it encourage you: qmmhome/Audio%20Files/Original%20Music/WHAT%20YOU%20WENT%20THROUGH%20FOR%20ME%20(VOC%20W%20ACCOMP).mp3
Posted on: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 21:14:14 +0000
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