WE BEAR HIS NAME

"WE BEAR HIS NAME"

Message:

"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God."
2 Corinthians 5:20

PERSONAL TESTIMONY AND A CHALLENGE:

For 25 years, by the grace of God, I have kept my father's family name clean even though he himself has brought on it much shame. What's ironic is people know and associate me more with him. Why not just know me as my mother's daughter?! (Don't get me wrong, I don't hate him.) 

Oh well, life. 

But in spite of all the pain, I am still determine not to throw mud on the already muddy name.

HOW MUCH MORE NOW, that I am not just my earthy father's daughter! I am a child of God. All the more I will strive, by God's help and grace, to do my best to live a life in holiness.

FOR THE NAME I BEAR. FOR MY HEAVENLY FATHER'S GLORIOUS NAME! FOR HIS RENOWN, GLORY AND PRAISE! 

To the sons and daughters of the living God, will you do the same???

CHILD OF GOD/AMBASSADOR:

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13) So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith (Galatians 3:26) So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:7) See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)

If you believe through faith and receive Jesus as your Personal Lord and Savior, then you are a child of God. But your role does not end there. As a child of God, He has also called you to be His representative. This is the work God has prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

An ambassador is "a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by one country as its long-term representative to another." Microsoft® Encarta® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)

We Christians are Christ's ambassadors. We are God's representative here on earth. We are not of this world for our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) but we are still living in this world. 


When we say we live in this world, it doesn't mean that we should live by the standards of the world. We adhere a higher standard-the Standard of the Holy God. The Lord wants us to "live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:12)


In order to be effective ambassadors, we should have the qualities of the One we represent. Because God is holy, then we should be holy. 




This is what the Word of the Lord commands us:

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." (Ephesians 5:1; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:2)

"Do not profane my holy name, for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who made you holy. Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy. You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. (Leviticus 20:7-8, 26; Leviticus 22:32) 




Why is it important to walk a blameless life??? Because we are no longer living for ourselves. We are living for God who has bought us through the death of Christ- His very life as the ransom.


When we say we are Christians, it's as if God's name is written over our head! 


WE ARE BRINGING THE HOLY NAME OF THE LORD. 


What we do will affect God's reputation. People(unbelievers) will judge God through us so we must be careful in every step that we take. One wrong move and people will associate and accuse falsely the God we serve with the deed. Be and ambassador of Christ who has integrity, whose walk is blameless. Therefore, we must live a life in holiness so that we will not bring shame unto the LORD.


People have great expectations from us. But what matters most is NOT DISAPPOINTING GOD. We don't want God to say what He says about Saul, "I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” (1 Samuel 15:11)




Does it really matter how people view God? Is God subject to judgment?


The answer is NO.


WILL GOD REMAIN HOLY NO MATTER HOW UNHOLY WE LIVE OUR LIVES; NO MATTER HOW AWFULLY AND POORLY WE REPRESENT HIM? YES. OF COURSE. 


God is still holy and God will remain faithful. No matter how people perceive or see Him, it will not change who He is or how great He is. But if we do care for the people who do not yet know God, for we are our brother's keeper, then we should live a life that will POINT PEOPLE TO JESUS.


NOT EASY??? Well, it is never easy and it will never be easy to live a blameless life-on our own. But by the grace of God, WE CAN DO IT!!!


"Heavenly Father, forgive me for the countless times that I have brought shame unto Your Name. Forgive me for poorly representing You when all I ever wanted to do is please You. I'm very sorry Father for the times that I have hurt You. Thank You so much for being patient with me. Thank You so much for remaining faithful in spite of all the things I've done. Thank You for loving me for being me. Lord, I know You are not yet done with me. Continue to mold me, use me. Help me live a life that will point people to You and not a life that will cause people to reject You. I want them to see how great You are through and in my life. I can't do this on my own. I need You. Always. In Jesus Name, Amen."




To the God who is not yet done with us; Who will continue and never get tired in molding us; and will remain IN LOVE with us in spite of our failures and shortcomings BE THE GLORY FOREVER!






Your sister (still under-construction) through the blood of Christ,




Rizeru