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The Name Above All Names

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.  (Philippians 2:5-10,  NASB).

When I go through my mental prayer list, and I pray in Jesus’ name, I run through the list of adjectives, nouns, and verbs below, as an act of worship.  These words describe Who Jesus is, name Him, and they tell us what He does!  

Lord Jesus, You are awesome; You are blessed; You are beautiful, wonderful, and all-powerful; You are magnificent, marvelous, and matchless; You are Almighty; You are my Comfort and my Comforter; You are my Defense and my Defender; You’re my Deliverer; You are everlasting; You are highly exalted; You are glorious; You are gracious; You are great!; You are my Healer! 

Philippians 2:9 image. Found at Knowing Jesus, Philippians 2:9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,. 

Lord Jesus, You are holy; You are my Hope; You are immortal; You are my Joy; You are my Justice; You are Love; You are majestic; You are merciful; You are my Miracle Maker; You are omnipotent; You are perfect; You are praiseworthy; Lord Jesus, You are precious; You are priceless; You are my Protection and my Protector; You are my Provision and my Provider; You are my Redeemer; You are righteous; You are my Royal King! 

Lord Jesus, You are sacred; You are sanctified above all others; You are my Savior; You are my Sovereign King!; You are my Sweet Jesus; You are trustworthy; You are worthy of all blessing, honor, glory, power, and praise; You are the Name Above All Names! 

I suppose there are many other words that tell us about Jesus, Who He is, and what He does.  But then again, He’s INDESCRIBABLE! 

Worship:  “Worthy,” by Elevation Worship 

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Hiccup

I had a rough weekend. I wasn’t able to get on the computer since Thursday. I’m falling behind on Bible study. I’m feeling much better today. Thanks for all your prayers! 

Worship:  “Healing Rain,” by Michael W. Smith
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Help in Times of Trouble!

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! May He send you help from the sanctuary And support you from Zion! . . .  Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the Lord . . . Save, O Lord; May the King answer us in the day we call.  (Psalm 20:1-2, 7, 9, NASB)

In my walk through the Bible I came across Psalm 20, which reminded me of Israel’s war with Gaza.  King David wrote this Psalm, entitled “Prayer for Victory over Enemies.”  In addition to the obvious application to war, there is a personal one as well. 

David invokes “the God of Jacob” for help “in the day of trouble!”  Further, David implores God to send “help from the sanctuary and support you from Zion!”  He says that the ungodly will boast of the numbers of their physical assets, but “we will boast in the name of the Lord.”  Finally, King David asks, “Save, O Lord; May the King answer us in the day we call.”


Psalm 20:1 image.  Found at Jesus Calls Prayer Center https://www.facebook.com/JCBANDRA/photos/a.932221836940789/1860863634076600/?type=3. 

On a personal level, we all go through times of trouble.  We all have to rely on God.  It’s great to know that He’s right here when we need Him!  The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, does indeed set us “securely on high!”  God sends us help from His sanctuary.  “But we will boast in the name of the Lord.”

Worship:  “Psalm 20,” by The Psalms Project 

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Mission Field

Moses said, “By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me.”  (Numbers 16:28-29, NASB)

Moses suffered from a rebellion.  Korah, Dothan, and Abiram rebelled against Moses in the wilderness of Sinai.  Moses put it all on the line in the passage above.  He told his fellow Israelites to stay away from the rebels’ tents and families.  Then Moses said the following:  “By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me.”

Death of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, Gustave Doré, 1865.  Found at Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korah. 

Then the earth opened, and swallowed the rebels, their families, their tents, and all their possessions.  I guess Moses WAS sent by God!  

Lesson learned:  We shouldn’t interfere with people who are doing God’s work!  How do we know if they’re doing God’s work or not?  We have to look carefully at what they’re doing, and balance it carefully with God’s Word.  To do this, we have to study God’s Word to know what it says.  

Worship:  “Our Great God,” by Fernando Ortega & Mac Powell 

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Jesus My Healer

Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness . . . These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: . . . “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”   (Matthew 10:1, 5, 7, NASB)

According to Apostle Matthew’s account, Jesus sent the twelve out, and He “gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.”  Further, He gave them instructions to tell all the people that “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  

The last thing He told them is important.  In heaven, there will be no sickness, no disease.  It will be a place of pure joy.  No more death, no pain, or sorrow.  It will be . . . HEAVEN!  We all implore God, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  When Jesus announces that His kingdom is “at hand,” it sounds as if it’s imminent.  When measured by eternity, it is!  


God the Father on his throne, Westphalia, Germany, late 15th century.  Found at Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_God_(Christianity). 

For regular viewers of The 700 Club, we’re used to Gordon Robertson making this consistent argument, that God wants to heal us, because that’s how it will be in heaven.  But he often says that he doesn’t know why we ALL don’t obtain healing.  I’ve heard that while we don’t all get healed while here on this earth, the followers of Jesus will see healing when they get to heaven.  That’s MY hope! 

Worship:  “Healer,” by Kari Jobe

Prayer for the Well-Being of the Israel Defense Forces: 
He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our God, from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.
May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighters from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.
May He lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is the Lord your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.
Found at Jewish Virtual Library

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/prayer-for-the-well-being-of-the-israel-defense-forces#:~:text=May%20the%20Holy%20One%2C%20Blessed,and%20crown%20them%20with%20victory.

Worship:  “Christ of Hope,” by Michelle Tumes

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Isaac and Ishmael

Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people. Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre, the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth; there Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife.  (Genesis 25:8-10, NASB)

Isaac and his brother Ishmael came together to bury their father Abraham. There’s a lesson for us in this story for us. 

God promised Abraham that he would have a son, even though he and his wife Sarah were past their child bearing years.  Sarah decided to take matters into her own hands, and she gave her Egyptian maid, Hagar, to her husband, to procreate.  As a result, Ishmael was born.  However, God had other plans.  He promised Abraham that the child born to him and Sarah would be a blessing to him, and would multiply Abraham’s seed.  God told Abraham to send Ishmael and Hagar away, and promised to make a great nation from the descendants of Ishmael. The sons of Isaac would become Israel; the sons of Ishmael would become the Islamic nation, who would contend with Israel over many centuries. 

Which brings us to today.  We see the events of October 7th in Israel.  However, many Arab nations have made peace with Israel.  Because Ishmael and Isaac came together in peace to bury their father, the name for the most recent agreements is, fittingly called the Abraham Accords.  So, it CAN be done!  God has allowed us to take matters into our own hands to make peace in this world.  

Worship:  “God of Abraham,” by Vertical Worship 

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Lord of All

In his letter to the church at Rome, the Apostle Paul wrote: 

. . . if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  (Romans 10:9-13, NASB)

Paul tells how we must be saved:  “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Paul goes on to explain:  “For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”  To be saved, then, we must confess Jesus as Lord; we must also believe wholeheartedly that God raised Him from the dead to life everlasting.  So then, it’s a matter of our hearts and our mouths and if if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation.  For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.   (Romans 10:9-13, NASB)


Romans 10:12 image.  Found at Scripture Images, https://www.scripture-images.com/bible-verse/asv/romans-10-12-asv.php. 

Further, Paul explains, that it doesn’t matter who we are, that we can must all call upon the name of Jesus to be saved.  After all, Jesus is the Lord of us all! 

Worship:  “God of All,” by Twila Paris 

Has anyone else noticed that this year is just flying by? 
I was recently called to jury duty by the Norfolk Circuit Court.  After much explanation, Sue got me out of it. 
PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM, AND FOR GOD’S PEOPLE ISRAEL! 

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God’s Creation, “Very Good”

God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.  (Genesis 1:31, NASB)
I love the story of God’s Creation!  I remember going to a men’s breakfast at a Cracker Barrel.  The speaker told us that if we could understand the book of Genesis, then we would understand a huge portion of the world’s problems.  He also said that he never carries a Bible with just a New Testament for this very reason.  I took his advice to heart.  Several years ago, I studied Genesis hard. 
The point of the verse above is that God looked at what He had created, and He was quite satisfied.  We should be quite happy with God’s creation as well.  But human beings want to improve on perfection!  We’re not satisfied with all that God has given to us.  Girls want to be boys, and boys want to be girls!  We must learn to be happy with the way God has created us.  God lovingly formed Adam from the dust of the earth.  He took the very same care when He formed us in the womb.

Genesis 1:31 image.  Found at OnFireForGod.Today, https://onfireforgod.today/verse-images/genesis-1_31/. 

As our Nation drifts further from God, I pray for a revival; a Great Awakening; and for a Jesus Revolution in our land.  We must return to Him! 

Worship: “Creation Song,” by Fernando Ortega 

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New Year 2024

 “. . . and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”  (Revelation 21:4-5, NASB)

To me, the New Year is about introspection, a time for a new beginning.  It’s a time to reflect on what has been, and a time to resolve to be better, with God’s help.  It’s a time to look forward, and to hope.  What better way, than to consult God’s Word?  The Apostle John, in God’s Revelation, provides such a hope to us. 
John, in his vision, promises a day when we’ll see no more death, nor crying, nor pain.  “The first things have passed away.”  God has promised to “make all things new.”  I look forward to that day with great hope! 


Revelation 21:5 image.  Found at Liberty Church, https://reachoutliberty.org/2022/01/02/behold-i-make-all-things-new/. 

I resolve to go through the Bible again with the chronological study.  I’m going to study the psalms as well. 

I’m also going to change the frequency with which I publish these essays.  I’ll post every five days instead of every three days.  I’ve found it’s difficult to do it more frequently because of my eyes.  Some days I can’t work my computer because my eyes can’t function.  So I think it’s better to give an extra two days so I can do as well as I can.  I’ll publish on days that are multiples of five (the 5th, 10th, etc.).  

I wish you all a happy and God blessed New Year. 

SHA’ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM! 

Worship:  “Glorious Day,” by Passion 

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Hope Was Born This Night

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.  (1 Peter 1:3-4, NASB)

I began these essays with the purpose of providing hope to those who are in the same position as me:  Suffering from a terminal condition, and who might not have the same hope that I do.  While I don’t say the word “hope” that often, I mean to tell everyone that my hope is in my Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus is Hope!  In this passage from 1 Peter, the Apostle tells us of this same hope.  

Peter starts his epistle by praising God for His Plan of Salvation.  God’s “mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”  It’s up to each of us to acknowledge Jesus’ sacrifice for us to be “born again to [that] living hope,” for an eternity with God in heaven.  In this Christmas season, we prepare for the hope that Jesus will soon retain to us, just as He promised us! 

Worship:  “Hope Was Born This Night,” by Sidewalk Prophets

Our dear friend Alana Cole was here for Christmas dinner with Sue, and she shared this song with us.  It’s what Christmas should be about.  Here’s “It’s About The Cross,” by The Ball Brothers: