Thursday Open Heavens Devotional - What’s In A Name?

MEMORISE: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:47.

MESSAGE
God attaches great significance to names. It is unfortunate that many people don’t pay attention to the importance of the names they bear or the names they give to their children. Africans, like the Jews, consider the meaning of a name before they give it to their children or to someone else. The Name that the Almighty God chose to give to His only begotten Son is very significant. It is a wonder-working Name. In Matthew 1:21, we are told the reason why the miracle child Mary would give birth to should bear the Name Jesus: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
Salvation from sin is the greatest wonder in the history of mankind because the Bible expressly declares sin as a plague affecting all men. Romans 3:23 says that: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” The Name Jesus therefore proclaims to the world thus: “Behold the Man who came to achieve the greatest wonder the world needs.”
This is where practitioners of some other religions get confused. They wonder how the Name of one Man can save another man; not to talk of the claim that this same Name can save all who believe in it. They wonder silently and loudly; they try to rationalise the workability of this declaration which God Almighty Himself made concerning His only begotten Son. Beloved, I encourage you not to bother about how it works. Evidence abounds as to how on the merit of this Name, souls have received and are receiving the forgiveness of sin. Not only that, the positive transformation that occurs in those who believe in this Name is indisputable proof of the wonders the Name of Jesus performs from generation to generation.
One of my sons testified that when he believed in the Name of Jesus, not only was he forgiven, he was also miraculous transformed. He experienced the disappearance of curses and abusive words from his vocabulary. He testified that “The curse words could just not come out anymore even when I tried”. To have this same experience, I encourage you to surrender your life totally to Him today. You need to identify with the Owner of this Name before it can work for you. God bless you as you do so today in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point: Make sure you know and belong to the Owner of the Name, JESUS. By this, you will experience transformational wonders, not only in your spiritual life but also in your family and business.

READ: Luke 1:30-35.
30.And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31.And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32.He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33.And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34.Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35.And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 SAMUEL 10:11 AND MARK 5:1-20.