Lord's Day Devotion - Remembering Jesus' Name

 What's in a name?  How well will it be remembered?  What will it be remembered for?

These were interesting questions that popped into my head this moring after reading Ephesians chapter one and especially verse 21.  Here's how it reads ...

"Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come."

People want to be remembered when they are gone from this earth.  Some get honored by having a street, an airport, a building or even a bridge named after them.  Years down the road, the origins of these place names recede into obscurity and folks will ask, "Who's he?' or "What was he so famous for that he'd get a bridge named after him?"

Case in point, there are two bridges that span the Halifax Harbor between Halifax and Dartmouth, the twin cities of Nova Scotia, Canada.  One bridge is named after Angus L. Macdonald and the other is the A. Murray Mackay.

Both men these bridges were named for were valient men, who did much for their niche in the world.  But do you know what?  I may have learned about them in school but for the life of me I cannot remember what their exploits had been.  I had to search the Internet!

What's more, the locals continue to use the less than memorable terms, 'the old bridge' and 'the new bridge' respectively since the A. Murray MacKay (the new bridge) was fixed in place in 1970!

Isn't that a caution!

Yet, praise be, our Lord Jesus Christ's name is the one and only name that will be remembered

 "not only in this age but also in the one to come!?"

His is the name that is above every name and that will be on every person's tongue whether in the present age or the one to come.

In fact, every one will bow to the name of 'Jesus' (see Philippians 2:10-11).  His is the name many curse  and use carelessly now, but many do still revere it and Him because of all He has done for them in bringing us salvation.

This Lord's Day, as we brothers and sisters-in-Christ remember what He has done for us in His death and resurrection, by partaking of the broken bread and drinking of the cup of wine, let the name of Jesus be upon our lips and let's take the name of Jesus with us throughout the ensuing week, and until He comes.

Then, around the throne of God in Heaven, in that 'age to come,' we will still be singing and praising, "Jesus," how sweet the sound!  His name will be remembered for all eternity ahead.

                                          ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on Ephesians 1: especially vs 21 ESV.

Sing, Take the Name of Jesus With You, along with joslingrovechoralsociety.

The A. Murray MacKay Bridge picture is downloaded from the wikipeida link.

POEM - For Just One Hour

 "So, could you not watch with me one hour"  (Matthew 26:40)?

This sounds like one of the saddest verses in the Bible.  The loneliness behind the words, of our Savior dreading one of the most difficult hours of His life on earth before experiencing the next horrendous hours of arrest, fake trial and death by crucifixion.

"Watch and pray" (Matthew 26:41 ESV).

But the disciples fell asleep.

Even now, if someone were to ask if you can schedule one hour per week in a quiet place to just watch and pray with Jesus, could you?  Would you?  Try it - and with no agenda or prayer list.  Watch and pray.  Listen.  Write down what God says to you.  This has been recommended by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen in their booklet entitled PRAYER The Real Battle.

It's actually hard to do.  Seek God though.  Pray before it's too late and we get sleepy and fall asleep and don't keep Him company and don't support Him.

Our Father in Heaven, teach us to pray, to commune withYou.  What do You want to say to me?

"Cease the distractions," He says.

"Come silent before Me.

Listen.

In the stillness,

Hear Me,

What I say.

Come apart from everything.

May My Kingdom come.

Knock down Satan's strongholds -

with prayer.

Do you hear My whisper?

My still small voice?

Quiet.

Be alert.

Ready and waiting.

In this stance you may hear 

MY weeping,

MY spiritual battle.

Fierce.

Therefore,

"watch and pray that you enter not into temptation" (Matthew 26:41).

Be delivered from evil.

"Mine," continued Jesus, "Mine is the kingdom" - go and claim it back for Me, in My name and with Holy Spirit's power....

Watch for at least one hour."

"Yes, Lord."

                                                 ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on Matthew 24:40 & 41 ESV, and PRAYER The Real Battle by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen (Open Doors booklet).

Sing,  Blessed Assurance, along with City Alight.

HAIKU - Solid Ground and Peace Prayer

 Earthquake shakes bring fear,

pain, rubble, lost loved ones; cry!

God, where's solid ground?

Wars, rumors of war,

Produce fear, sorrow, sadness,

God, help us, bring peace!

          ~ ERC November 2023 ~

Jesus wept at death,

for mourners at their loved ones'

wake.  He weeps today.

Oh come, Lord Jesus.

May Your Kingdom come and Your

will be done on earth!

            ~ ERC, added July 2026 ~

Sing, On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, along with Reawaken Hymns.

Ceaseless Praying

 I thought I was pretty good already but I've read something that's shown me up.  There's pride there.  Not sure when it entered in, but gasp, it's surely there!

No matter how often one prays, with a phone alarm set at intervals as a reminder to pray for this, that and the other thing, it is sincerity of heart that matters.

It's also the humble of heart.  God's word actually asks us to,

 "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV).

We can have a constant conversation with our Lord.  There's no need to pat onurselves on the back at the three or five times-a-day we may utter a few words on others' behalf.

Praying, "Your will be done on earth Lord, is my desire."  but I often fall short of it.

"Lord, I repent of my pride in prayer, I forgot to ask what you want and desire.  May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  May my whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless.  I await your coming.  God of peace, sanctify me completely until you come and bring me Home" (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23 ESV).

Thank You for hearing me at all hours.  May I learn to listen for your voice more.  I love You Lord.  Thank You for first loving me.  Amen.

                                            ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV.

Sing, Sing the Wondrous Love of Jesus, along with David and Noelle Music.

Lord, Teach Me to Pray

 "Whenever our Lord prayed, things happened."

I read that sentence in PRAYER The Real Battle, a booklet written by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen.  They went on to exclaim,

 "No wonder the disciples asked Him ... "Lord, teach us to pray" (see Luke 11:1).

Surely, most followers of Jesus do pray.  But how effective do you feel those prayers are?  Not to minimize anyone's heartfelt prayers, but even speaking for myself, has the room ever shaken like an earthquake when you've prayed either as an individual or with a care group or even as a whole congregation of God's people?

When Peter and John and a gathering of other believers prayed for them to

 "continue to speak [God's] word with all boldness while "God did signs and wonders; ... the place in which they gathered together was shaken" (see Acts 4:30-31).

In another instance, Paul and Silas had been imprisoned in Philippi.  They'd been praying and singing hymns, when ...

"Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken ..." (Acts 16:25-26).

I love it when God does things like this.  It's like He gets the last laugh for His people.

The repercussions were a jailor and his household coming to Christ.  Perhaps even some of the fellow prisoners, who incidently had not run away when their chains had shaken off, came to Christ too.  We don't know as we are not told.  The point is the direct result of Paul and Silas' praying and praising despite their plight.

So, on a sclae of 1-10, brothers and sisters-in-Christ, 10 being the most, how often do you pray constantly for God's will to be done on earth?

Yes, we pray but is it a list?  A list of my will to be done?  Or do we actually ask our Heavenly Father to do His will here on earth. 

I hang my head.  I admit to a very low score.

But this rating can change.  If we remind ourselves, saying those words, "Your will be done, Father, here on earth as well as in heaven" and mean it with sincere heart, we may get some shake ups.

God's divine power may move for us.  Let's ask the Lord,

 "Lord, teach me to pray."  

Do what it takes to move your rating, at least one number closer to 10, the booklet authors encourage.

Let's be more God's kingdom-minded in our prayers.  See then how He works to breakdown Satan's strongholds in our lives and elsewhere around the globe, for the furtherance of the true gospel and our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Get in touch with God your Heavenly Father and pray,

"Lord, teach me to pray."

                                                   ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on Luke 11:1; ACTS 4:30 & 31 and 6:25-26 and PRAYER The Real Battle, Chapter 1, by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen.

Sing, Sweet Hour of Prayer, along with Alan Jackson of Grace Bible Church.  Here is also a call to earnest, earthshattering type of prayer ...  it is about 10 minutes in length but just watch/listen to the pathos.  RISE Prayer Warriors RISE!    Re: spiritual warfare.

Transformation (Galatians 6)

 When a believer in Jesus Christ begins to change from the inside out by the grace of God and the indwelling guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will definitely see the 'new creature'.  Our character and even personality will undergo transformation for the better when we submit ourselves ever-increasingly to the Lord and His Word.

It takes time to transform.  It could take days before we see first signs, but it is always an ongoing process; in fact, lifelong.  The stages take time.  It is much like the caterpiller.  It inches along for two or three weeks and eats like crazy and then it creates a cocoon around itself.  It huddles in there for five days to three weeks.  It breaks itself out and viola!  It's a beautiful butterfly!

Now and again though, a brother or sister may slip back into yielding to temptations:  outbursts of anger, lack of self-control and other works of the flesh.  If they get caught in any transgression, we who can humbly, with much prayer, and God's guidance and spirituality, 

"should restore him (or her) in a spirit of gentleness" (Galatians 6:1 ESV).

Spiritual warfare is so real but we must remember we have the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live according to the Holy Spirit as we walk in step with Him.

As we do so, we will care for others and their burdens of life; we will examine our own hearts and we won't force or coerce another to add on to their faith, any rules or regulations, written or unwritten.  It is not outward action performed that saved us.  Rather, the focus is on what Jesus does within us, for His glory and honor.

Let us live in the freedom we have in Christ.

Paul brought this true gospel of Jesus to the Galatians and others, through thick and thin, and great difficulty.  In fact, he said he has on his body,

 "the marks of the Lord Jesus."

Like a soldier showing war wounds and scars, Paul mentions his; not to boast, but to show that what he says does not come lightly.

May the

 "grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit" 

both now and forevermore.

Amen.

                                                ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on Galatians 6 ESV.

Sing, Freedom, along with Jesus Culture.

In Step With the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26 ESV)

 Personality changes may be, perhaps, seen in negative light.  I'd like to change that narrative by introducing God's ideal as seen in Galatians 5:16-26.  I'm using the ESV YouVersion.

Keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, walking by the Spirit, and being led by the Holy Spirit, are terms that as we read them, we may breeze through.  But taking some time to stop and ponder the significance is worthwhile.

When we do, we'll observe the personality change of the before and after person's character.  That is, the person who has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and has instantly been indwelt by the Holy Spirit - God's Son's Spirit; that Comforter and Guide.

Their old way of thinking and operating, which is according to 'the flesh' to gratify the desires of the flesh,' need to be relinguished.  As the born again believer grows in Christ, he or she will leave those

 "works of the flesh" 

such as sexual immorality, idolatry, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, envy, drunkeness and the like, behind.

Case in point, for example, did you know that more recent data is that one in five children in the USA alone, are said to have been sexually abused?  The perpetrator is generally someone they know, such as a parent, grandparent, brother, uncle, someone of their own peer group or a neighbor or family friend.

If you had been someone like this before your salvation, know that Jesus who raised Lazarus from the dead, also said,

 "unbind him, and let him go" (John 11:44 ESV).

The grave clothes, those linen strips and of the cloth that had wrapped his face and body, needed to be removed.  Unwind them, and Lazarus could walk freely.

A believer in Jesus Christ needs to have his 'grave clothes' unwrapped.  As we allow the Holy Spirit and God's Word teach us, and we obey and follow these 'revelations,' our personality and character, will be transformed by the renewal of our minds and actions.

The works of the flesh will drop away - not like magic, generally speaking, but one step at a time.  The fruit of the Spirit will begin to shine in our hearts and actions.  There will be peace and joy, gentleness, kindness, goodness, self-control and so on.

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24).

Incidently, if you have been a person who engaged in being the perpetrator of sexual abuse, you may have to turn yourself in.  It is a serious matter that needs to be addressed.  The survivor of such abuse (if they have survived) will be affected for life but by God's grace the victims can find healing.  May the Lord help and comfort those of you who have been so terribly treated!!

  Lord, have mercy!

Take the pain of all these children and the many who have grown into adults, those who have been betrayed by a family member or others who were supposed to have been trusted friends or teachers or neighbors, but also the strangers that perpetuate such violence against children (especially), take this pain Jesus.  Help them, have mercy upon them.  May they find solace in You, and healing.  Oh Lord, You must cry too, as we do for these people.  Turn their ashes into something that gives life to all their wounded hearts, so they can overcome. Your enemy, Satan only comes to steal, kill and destroy but You come to give life and that they may have it more abundantly.  Lord, have mercy.  I ask in Jesus' name.  Amen (see John 10:10).

When we live by the Spirit we will be more apt to keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).  Let's aim for this restoration and perfection of our souls.

                                              ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on Galatians 5:16-26 ESV.

Sing, New Creation, along with Mac Powell (quite lively) and Made New, along with Jason Nelson (a bit noisy but the lyrics are good).