Jesus Christ--NAME Above All Names!!

Hi Everyone,

Tomorrow night we have an Appreciation Dinner for all of the facilitators and mentors of that help with the Christ-life classes. I have the privilege of being invited to share my testimony at the Dinner with them! I wrote it out this afternoon, partly to clarify my thoughts so I don't ramble during my 5-7 minutes up there and also because I want to be able to read it to my mentor upon her return (when we get to that point in the process!) I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to do this--to declare what GOD HAS DONE AND GIVE HIM THE GLORY HE DESERVES!!! It thrills me to the core like nothing else, because IT IS ALL ABOUT HIM!!!! HE IS TOTALLY WORTHY OF ALL THE GLORY!!!!

So my thoughts this evening focus on Jesus-THE NAME above all names. There is none other that compares to Him. Sounds really simple, but it is so wonderful when I reflect on WHY HIS NAME IS ABOVE EVERY NAME!!!! HE DIED FOR ME--I didn't deserve such a precious gift, but HE Willingly did it anyways!!

Here are a few verses I found! I love them all!!

Psalm 138:1-3 (of David) "I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted."

Psalm 148:11-13 "Kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted, his splendor is above the earth and the heavens."

Philippians 2:5-11 "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

EVERY KNEE WILL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD (NOT you or your accomplishments or anything else is "lord") TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER!!! either NOW OR LATER THIS WILL BE THE TRUTH FOR EVERYONE! Are you doing that now? Or are you choosing to do that "later?"

When you die, your eternal destiny of heaven or hell is already set in stone, because you either trusted the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross as the one and only substitute in your place for your sins, or you have chosen to reject his gift of love and will spend an eternity separated from Him in Hell. While there is still life there is still hope.

DECLARE HIS PRAISES ONE MORE DAY WITH EACH BREATH THAT HE GIVES YOU---JESUS CHRIST IS COMPLETELY AND FULLY WORTHY OF THAT!!!!! AND IF IN HIS GREAT MERCY, GRACE, AND KINDNESS HE GIVES YOU TOMORROW, GET UP AND DO THE SAME THING!! LET HIS NAME CONSUME YOUR EVERY THOUGHT, WORD, ACTION, AND MOTIVE!!!! HIS NAME IS ABOVE ALL NAMES!!

Speaking of motives, and thinking about the Philippians 2 verses my first thought after worshiping Jesus for the fact that He died for me is this..Jesus, Is MY ATTITUDE the SAME as YOURS??? In all the places where IT IS NOT, I humbly ask you to make it that way--for YOUR glory and Honor!!....so that YOU receive even more glory from this life of mine.

How humble to know that We are loved by a GOD who knows that WE were formed from the dust!!

Psalm 103:13 "As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children- with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word."

Our lives are but a moment on this earth in comparison to eternity. How will we respond to Him? Not only as that initial trust in His all sufficient once and for all sacrifice for us on the cross, but how will we respond to Him in every moment of life that He gives us??

Ever notice how the birds wake up singing praising God no matter what happened the day before in their lives? May we do the same!!!