Moments ago, I was sitting here listening to a song and as I listened the words became alive. The song was about not being ashamed to speak the Name of Jesus Christ. As I listened my heart burned to write.
So here I am. And I just wanted to break into your Sunday afternoon today to tell you about a Man I am crazy in love with. A Man who has rescued me and loved the darkest parts of me. We live in a culture that looks down upon those who believe in the Name of Jesus and despises those who speak that beautiful Name. Don't believe me? Well, take a look around you. Public schools and colleges are hostile to Christianity, removing references to God from classrooms and removing Bibles from campuses. Those students brave enough to speak His Name are every day attacked for their faith in God. Social media and the internet are hostile to Christianity too. People are bullied or made fun of online for speaking truth about God into their tweets, posts, etc. Some websites even take down blogs or posts or videos for talking about Jesus too much. Excuse me? I don't think that's acceptable or should it be tolerable. Everywhere you go there is confrontation for what you believe. The world has taught us to accept and commend most all religious differences or social differences...except for Christianity, the one religion that is condemned and attacked daily. Could it be because Christianity is a relationship with a true, living God, and that threatens the comfort zones of some people? In other countries people are even killed or tortured for their faith in Christ, for professing the Name of Jesus. In America you're probably not going to physically be tortured or killed for proclaiming the Name of Jesus, but you will be attacked, despised, and accused for speaking of Him. And sadly, so many people have listened to the lies that this world and culture has fed us. The lies that we need to shut up and not speak about what we believe. The lies that we need to keep quiet and not declare our faith publicly. So many Christians have become silent and it's hard to tell a Christian from an atheist anymore because they don't speak up (except the atheist will probably declare what they believe because it's their right. And it isn't ours?). But let me tell you boldly, I will not be ashamed to speak the Name of Jesus. When He died on that cross for MY sin and did it loving ME, He didn't do it in His bedroom with the door closed. He did it on a hilltop in front of thousands. So neither will I choose to live for Him behind closed doors. I will speak His Name to thousands and if that costs me popularity, friends, money, or yes, even my life, then that is just the price I will pay. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'" (Romans 1:16-17 NKJV) I am not ashamed of Jesus or the gospel. And this is what I believe... I believe in God the Father who loved me (loved YOU) so much that He sent His one and only Son to Earth to take on a human form like us, but to live a perfect life, so that He could die in OUR place and take the punishment of OUR sin on Himself. I believe in Jesus Christ, my Hero, my Savior, my King, my Lord, my Redeemer, my Prince, my True Love, my Everything, who lived on this earth in human form and CHOSE to die a horrible, brutal death to bring me and you salvation and freedom, so that we could fall in love with Him and spend the rest of our lives with Him. I believe in love stories and happily ever after because that's what He gave me. A great love story with the Creator of all, the Creator of me. The perfect Prince Charming who adores me rescued me and called me His beloved. He has invited me to spend the rest of eternity with Him and to love and be loved by Him forever. If that's not a happily ever after ending, I don't know what is. So no matter what I face or what accusation comes against me for speaking this beautiful Name that has rescued me from the darkest parts of me, I will still speak the name of JESUS. The Name that saved me and redeemed me forever. "Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10-12 NKJV) There truly is no other name that can save us the way the Name of Jesus can. So, my precious Prince, my Jesus, I will never be ashamed to speak Your Name, whether I live or die. Your Name will forever be on my lips. If you're with me and you believe that we as believers need to stand up and shout the beautiful Name of Jesus with our lips and our lives, then I encourage you to tell others that you are not ashamed. I'm not asking you to share this post or tell others to read it. Instead, write your own love post for Jesus, telling the world how much you love Him and what His Name means to you. Together lets show the world that we are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That we will never be afraid or ashamed to speak the Name of Jesus. Christians, let's be bold.
Bella Morganthal
10/10/2016 07:53:04 pm
Amen! Thanks Grace! :)
Olivia Bell
10/15/2016 03:54:37 pm
This is wonderful, and so, so true! I am going to do what you said, I'm going to shout out Jesus' Name to all and not ever be ashamed of Him!!!!
Bella Morganthal
10/17/2016 01:30:59 pm
Thanks Livy! That's so wonderful!! :) Comments are closed.
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