FOR THE SAKE OF MY NAME
Thursday – April 16, 2020, Nisan 22, 5780
Greetings to the dear and precious friends and partners of this Ministry and blog. If you are reading this on Facebook please take a moment to hit the “love” and “share” buttons to give us feedback and to enlarge the reach of this Ministry. God is so good dear ones. The featured picture today is of Donna and me and was taken at J Alexander’s (wonderful restaurant) in San Antonio Texas last year. Also, welcome back to this Bible Study of the Book of John. God is nothing but good, He is the One who has provided for an abundant life not stealing, killing, and destroying. God does not put any plague (Corona Virus) upon His people or anyone else but must allow the consequences of bad choices. Bad choices at their foundation are rebellion against God, the Word of God. God created man as a freewill being and gave them dominion in the earth. We, the Church (filled with the Holy Spirit), have the same authority in the earth and access to the same Power as Adam before the fall (sin), and Jesus in the earth. With few exceptions there is little to no evidence of this authority and Power in the Church. We, the Church, are in serious shape. If we are powerless (John 14:12) and don’t think we have anything to repent of we are in the darkest of deception and are being devoured by the devil. Now let’s turn our attention to our primary Bible Study and read our primary text aloud.
John 15:20-23 (KJV)
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
As we think about what we have just read (you were thinking about it weren’t you?) I want to focus on the end B portion (second half) of verse twenty. Jesus tells them and us that if a person or people believed, guarded, and did His sayings they will also believe, guard, and do our saying. What is not said explicitly here is that our saying must be His saying which are the sayings of the Father. Jesus was God’s messenger (Ambassador) from Heaven and so are we precious brother and sister. We are kings under the King of kings to rule in the earth according to His will, and we are priests in the earth to intercede for the weak and the lost. Jesus said that if they hated Him, they would hate us. No wonder, we have exactly the same message, and are to do exactly the same things. We are not just a reflection, but are to be indistinguishable from Him, and to be just like the Father. If we reject the people God sends to us, we are rejecting God the Father. We are grieving, spurning the Holy Spirit not just that minister. We must watch very carefully how we treat the men and women of God that are in our life for our benefit. Jesus pointed out that there is great reward in receiving the righteous man as a righteous man and the Prophet as a Prophet. Notice that at the center of what would cause the consternation, hatred, and persecution among those of the world is the name of Jesus. At salvation we got a new name much like a bride gets the bridegrooms’ name. We see a good example of this in the following account.
Acts 3:6-8 (KJV)
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. (bold added)
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
Just as when Jesus healed the ruling authorities of the Church were upset.
Acts 4:6-7 (KJV)
6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? (bold added)
Notice what they told them specifically when they released them.
Acts 4:18 (KJV)
18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. (bold added)
We cannot be ashamed or hide the name of Jesus for it is our name and it activates the power of God. Our name nor any other name today actives the Power of God. One last comment as we end for today and this week with regard to the Book of John and that is the meaning of the word “in” as “in the name of Jesus”. Part of the meaning of the word “in” is instrumentality or the name acting as an instrument according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. It was not the teaching about Jesus that upset the religious leaders but the use of the name of Jesus in their teachings or speaking the name of Jesus. That name, and that name alone, actives the Power of God. For example, when you go to the bank you can only access money in your name. Part of our name is the name of Jesus and thus it opens and makes available all the assets of Heaven which are without measure or end.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name! Quit asking God to bless you, you are already blessed, you have the Blessing, give Him something to do by the words of your mouth. Once you know the will of God, decree the thing (Job 22:28, Isaiah 45:11, Mark 11:23). (The Blessing is the Holy Spirit) We have left God way to long with nothing to do in our lives.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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