Them seeing Him in us

    A while ago, I unknowingly met a friend of mine as he traveled home from work. When he asked later if I had seen him that day I asked him "Are you sure it was me?" God then burned his reply deep in my heart when my friend said "Yes, I know it was you because I saw Jesus." Now let me explain this before a rumor gets started that I'm claiming to be Jesus or that my friend believes I am! Actually, he was not even complimenting me at all. I had previously bought a tag for my truck that reads "Jesus is the answer" with JESUS in big letters and it's still there. While there are several trucks that resemble mine in the area, to my knowledge no others have the same tag so that's how he could tell at a glance it was me. On my way home from work just a few months ago, I hit a deer and was amazed to find the only damage to my truck I found was that my Jesus tag was broken to pieces, still legible, but broken with deer hair embedded. I had forgotten about it until I noticed it last week while washing it. I also noticed the letters that spelled Jesus weren't as bold as they once were as time had faded the paint. Boy, what some great truths are in this story. It caused me to wonder if my light was still as bright as it once was.
       Matthew 5:16 says "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." This simply means that others will see the good things we do, but God will get the glory. In other words, our actions will be visible but we won't if our hearts are in the right place.
        I believe that others should be able to see Jesus in us, not just by the fish symbols and tags on our vehicles or the Crosses we have tattooed on our bodies or on a necklace. Our actions, reactions, language and conversation should clearly set us apart from the world. If not, we should do a self-examination of our lives. Do you have the light of Jesus shining from your life? Has your light, like my old tag, faded or dimmed with time? It's time that those of us who claim to know Jesus start acting like Him instead of just talking about Him!
         I think I'm gonna get a new tag for the truck; A bright and shiny one that screams "Jesus"!
                          In Christ,
                          Preston

The Lovely Name of Jesus

       If you spend more than 15 minutes around me, chances are you know a few things about me. First, I hope you would see the blood of Jesus on my life. Next, you should note that I love my family and friends. Then you would know that I am a huge Squire Parsons fan. As a matter of fact, my wife would say he should be listed second! I remember as a teenager first hearing him sing "The Lovely Name of Jesus" on the radio and thinking what a powerful voice that was and I had to find out more about this guy. As I've followed his career, I've found him to be a great example of how God will reward our faithfulness as is evident in Squire's long and successful career in Southern Gospel music. Through the years, that song still remains one of my favorite songs he has written.
         "The Lovely Name of Jesus" speaks of a name that is mentioned in Phillipians 2 starting with verse 9, " Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Acts 4:12 tells us "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." This means that as great as I think Squire is, his name does not possess the saving power that can only be found in Jesus Christ! That's right, not in Billy Graham, not in Buddha or Muhammad, not in George Washington or George Bush or George Foreman.....only Jesus! "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" taken from John 14:6 says as much.
          I'll be a die-hard Squire fan as long as I live but I can only trust Jesus with my soul.  As powerful and important as the names of some are here on earth, any authority given to them will be destroyed along with the earth. I can only pray that you too are putting your trust in Jesus alone. Romans 10:13 tells us if we call upon His name, we can be saved. I hope you have taken advantage of His generous offer.
     Here are the lyrics to "The Lovely Name of Jesus" by Squire Parsons and there is a link on my facebook page to a video of this song.
                 Oh how sweet the name of Jesus and how it calms my doubts and fears.
                  And how it fills my soul with glory when that lovely name I hear.
                  Clouds roll back, the sun starts shining, pain and heartache just disappear,
                 My burdens lighter, the day is brighter when that lovely name I hear.
                 At the very thought of Jesus all earthly treasures grow strangely dim.
                 For all my longings and all my searchings, I found them all when I found Him.
                         In Christ,
                        Preston