Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images from Joy Williams singing … Do They See Jesus In Me … Poignantly singing of how we Christians should desire others seeing us, even naming us. Do they call us “Christian?” And do we live up to His Name?
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Highlight Verse[s]: John 1:42 [NLT] … 42 And he [Andrew] brought him [his brother, Simon] to Jesus. … Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter [Aramaic for “rock”].
… Jesus sees character in Peter that even Simon couldn’t see at the time; and the Lord renames him to describe whom Simon would become.
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Highlight Passage [context]: John 1:35-42 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus renames Simon, giving him a new name, “Peter,” to reflect the character the Lord saw in this newly found disciple.
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Reference Passage [NLT] : … Genesis 17:4-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
... God renames Abram (“exalted father”) to be ABRAHAM (“father of many”).
Reference Passage [NLT] : … Judges 6:11-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
... God sends an angel to charge Gideon with a new character (i.e., name) … that of “mighty warrior,” which Gideon could not recognize in himself.
Reference Passage [NLT] : … Matthew 11:29 [NLT] … 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
… The only place in Scripture where Jesus describes Himself - as gentle (meed) and humble … as “Christians,” can we describe ourselves in this way.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Marvin Williams, wrote about the power of names and descriptors to help us see our identity as “Christians.” The ODB author wrote: In the article “Leading by Naming,” Mark Labberton wrote about the power of a name. He said: “I can still feel the impact of a musical friend who one day called me ‘musical.’ No one had ever called me that. I didn’t really play an instrument. I was no soloist. Yet . . . I instantly felt known and loved. . . . [He] noticed, validated, and appreciated something deeply true about me.”
Yeah; … What’s your name?! It’s a question people often ask of us when others don’t know us, isn’t it? But when we give them our GIVEN name, the one on our birth certificate, does it really describe who we are, … especially as “Christians?”
Names, especially in the Bible, quite often were used to describe character traits. And nominal adjectives were used to help biblical characters to identify with certain personality characteristics. In the highlight passage, Simon was given a new name, “Peter,” by Jesus to reflect whom he would become later in his life as an Apostle. Abram (see Gen. 17) was given a new name, “Abraham,” by God to reflect whom God saw him become, … “the father of many nations. “ A weakling, Gideon, was called “mighty warrior,” by God’s angel (see Judges 6); and Gideon couldn’t identify with the name. But he later became what that description (i.e., name) described.
Jesus, used only two descriptive adjectives in the NT to describe Himself (see Matt. 11:29); and they were “humble” and “meek.” And if someone calls us a “Christian,” do we see ourselves as being those two character traits? And that’s the primary question asked in the song linked today, isn’t it? … When others see me, … do they see Jesus in me? And am I doing all I can to know my Savior and become like He describes me as His DISCIPLE?
My friend, ... Jesus call us (if we’re truly “CHRISTIANS”) … “FORGIVEN” … “HOLY” … “BELOVED.” (see photo); … but are we living up to how God sees us?
My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … Help me to live today as You describe me. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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