THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 387

Why air brush the scriptures with catchy one liners? For your words and my words cannot revise or supplement the written scriptures. Indeed, the Gospel is God’s Word brought down from Heaven and delivered to us in the face of JESUS the Christ who was and is ‘God manifest in the flesh.' In appearance even as we are. For it was not possible that He should appear otherwise. If He had, then He would have been alien to us. However, when God became man, we gain insights into why He desired to be made like unto His brethren.

In the beginning, we know that Adam (and Eve) sinned. As a consequence, we inherited his sinful nature which he brought upon himself by dismissing God’s instructions. As it is written, by one man’s disobedience sin entered into the world and the judgment for disobedience to the Word of God was death. Therefore to undo the imposed death penalty necessitated the death of a sinless righteous man. But since there was no such person to be found on earth, God was willing to make the sacrifice Himself. Because every one of us has sinned, God found in Himself a way whereby man could obtain redemption. A way to compensate for the fact that Adam’s now sinful seed could not bring forth any such person. And that being the case, all things would have remained in that sinful realm forever.

But God stepped into an otherwise impossible situation declaring, "I the LORD your God will become man’s Saviour!" Think about this for a moment. "I the Lord your God will become your Saviour!" Then as we read from the scriptures, God provides of Himself a pure Holy un-defiled SEED. A NEW blood line that is so unlike the Adamic blood line. The blood whereof we speak here is the blood of the Holy Spirit.

Yes, God provided two seeds of Himself -- one female and one male. These two seed lines are presented in the scriptures. The first genealogy emerging from Eve and the second from Abraham. These two seeds were brought together in the womb of a consenting virgin girl named Mary. In her womb the child of the Holy Spirit was clothed upon in sin prone flesh coming forth from her in appearance as we are. The child was given a name. His name is JESUS the same child declared in the scriptures to be ‘God with us.' So what is God’s name? Think about it. If ‘JESUS was God with Us’ then surely God’s name must be JESUS!

In this context, God has declared ‘that there is no salvation to be found in any other name. While admittedly, there are some who would argue this point by inventing names or translating JESUS into another language, their attempts to revise the scriptures does not negate what the Bible says. The Scriptures - the Word of God - still stands correct even when one attempts to air brush the scriptures. The message is remains accurate. That is, JESUS is the GIVEN name and in that Name shall we trust.

Still, in some circles, the name of JESUS remains despised. Like the devil they believe there is a God. They forget that the devil also knows God’s name and trembles. Further, unlike the devil, those that choose to despise Jesus have no idea who God is. Neither will they if they don't attempt to know Him. For how can anyone trust in a God that one does not know?

The scriptures provide similar scenarios that we can learn from. For example, Paul believed in God and went about doing what he believed at the time was God’s business. From Paul's perspective, this meant getting rid of the JESUS people. In fact, Paul was watching and consenting to Stephen being stoned to death. But that incident as we read in the scriptures was the straw that broke the camel's back. JESUS was no longer sitting down! Rather, JESUS was on His feet about to intervene when Stephen prayed. It was here that the course of history was altered. This is not to suggest that judgment was not administered. Indeed, it was. JESUS cut off the feet of the Jews. As it is written, the scriptures declared that they always resisted the Holy Spirit, even as their fathers before them also did. When JESUS later met Paul, He confronted him saying, "It is hard for you to kick against your conscience." Paul cried out ‘Who are you Lord? and JESUS answered, "I AM JESUS!"

As such, there is no salvation to be found in any other name. Even when others try to reshuffle the scriptures 2000 years after the fact, there is no other name whereby people can be saved. There is only one name. That name is JESUS. Jesus is the given name. It is this name that is ABOVE every other name in Heaven and on earth! Save yourself from those who oppose the testimony of eye witnesses! Read Acts chapter 2 verses 37-42 and follow the example of the first 3000 believers who gladly obeyed the scriptures. Peace be to all who submit to Jesus willingly.

God bless you all!