I Ain't Ashame to Claim His Name, JESUS!

When I wake up in the morning I say: "good morning Jesus, here we go again."  I thank Him for being there for me 24/7 (all the time).  He said, in His Word, that: "He would never leave me nor foresake me." And He is true to His Word.  I'm so glad I know Jesus for myself, and have a real and right relationship with Him, because I need Him all the time; especially when times are hard.  I love crossing paths with other believers who are not ashame to claim His name.  There was my brother-in-Christ on the morning train who was wearing that marvelous hat that exclaimed his love for God, the Son, and Holy Spirit.  There was no doubt that he was a true believer, not because of the hat, but his face and spirit revealed that Christ lived inside him.  I just had to talk about the goodness of the Lord with him.  It was an opportunity to praise Jesus in public.  This made my soul glad, and my spirit leapt for joy!  How about my sister-in-Christ who exclaims the name of Jesus, His love, and salvation to a dying world on one of the corners of the West End every day.  One day I just had to encourage her, and show solidarity with her by hugging her, calling her my sister, and telling her God bless you for doing the Lord's work.  I welcome any and all opportunities to claim His name; Jesus!  There are people in other countries who risk their lives to find a hiding place to congregate so they can praise God; so why would I, a Christian, not take advantage of the fact that I can freely praise my Lord and Savoir!  We must claim His name from the highest places to the lowest.  We must claim His name from the four corners of the earth (north, south, east, and west.  We must be bold and claim His name (with Godly direction and Christ-like demeanor) on our jobs, in our schools, in the halls of justice, at the beauty salon, in the barber shop, in the super market, in the streets, in our homes, and, yes, even in our churches.

DON'T BE ASHAME TO CLAIM THE NAME OF JESUS!!!

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.  Luke 9:26 (NIV)

Don't Judge Me !

People are all different which is good because variety is the spice of life.  We have a right to have a difference of opinion, and nobody has to be right or wrong.  We just agree to disagree.

Don't look at a person and think you know them.  We are all like onions.  We have a lot of  layers to peel away, and under each one is a different and unique experience.

How can anyone decide why a person acts a certain way when they haven't walked in their shoes.

We want what others have, but are we willing to sacrifice what they did to get it?

Don't judge me because I have to enforce the rules on my job.  The working me is just one part of a multi-faceted, very complex individual.

How can you just look at me and decide you hate me?  To know me is to love me!

"Don't speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.  If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God's law.  But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.  God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge.  He alone has the power to save or to destroy.  So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?" (James 4:11-12/NLT)

The Road Travelled is Difficult (BUT THE DESTINATION IS WELL WORTH IT!)

God has predestined a journey for each of us.  The journey will not always be easy, but God did not promise us easy; He promised us that He would never leave us.  There will be bumps in the road; there will be unforeseen (by us, NOT God) obstacles, hinderances, storms, and, yes, loss of material things, a job, or even more importantly a loved one.  We will have to strive hard to make it past all these trials and tribulations, but the One Who predestined this road trip for us will see us through, if we let Him.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)

Now let's look at the other side of life's difficult journey if we allow the Lord to rule, rest and abide in our lives.  The Lord will take care, giving us a peace and a joy that no man can take away.  He will be our everything here on earth and as it says in the most familiar passage and the basis of Christianity:  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)

At the end of life's travel, if we believe , we get to go home and be with the Father.  Hallelujah!

What a promise; what a destination!