Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week and it looks like it’s going to get watered down by the touch of the Master’s Hand. While creation receives its nourishment from the water that falls across the farm today, I’ll be receiving my nourishment from the Living Waters. I know better than to kick-off this new day of this new week without being nourished for the journey and nothing takes bigger priority in my life. So I go the Source of all that I am….I turn to the Living God, the Living Water, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, the Bright Morning Star, the Wonderful Counselor and my Mighty God and I prepare myself. I’m a Warrior, and I’m ready to take on whatever comes my way today. I didn’t get that way by sitting back and hoping for the best…I got that way by stepping up and preparing for the “worst”. I’ll be grateful for the good that I see today and I’ll battle the “bad” if it shows up and I’ll find all the Strength that I need no matter what. Aren’t you kicking off this new day of this new week prepared too?

It’s not possible for me to speak-up throughout my day without the mention of my God. His blood runs through my veins and His blood was shed on my behalf; how could I not be filled with Him and how could it not naturally Flow out of me? I don’t think about what I’ll say or when His name and His Might will be mentioned in my conversation; it comes as naturally to me as breathing. When His Name is mentioned in whatever setting it is, there is always a reaction. It’s not possible to mention the name of Jesus without there being a reaction in Heaven AND on earth! Sometimes when I mention His Name I can see the “sting” in the eyes of another and I can tell that they don’t Believe and they’re offended to be hearing His name at all. Sometimes when I mention His Name I can see softness in the eyes of another as if they’re relieved to find another Believer in their presence, but they’re too afraid to speak up. Sometimes when I mention His Name I see tolerance as if it’s okay for me to mention the name of my God as long as I’m okay when they mention the name of theirs too. Sometimes when I mention His Name it strikes up a conversation with one who shares my Faith and it takes our encounter to an entirely different level when we realize that we are in the presence of a Brother or Sister in Christ. BUT EVERY SINGLE TIME I mention His name it makes my biggest enemy mad as you-know-what and since he can’t stand to hear it; He flees from me in a heartbeat. There is POWER in the name of Jesus and I’m sure not afraid to use it.

There are lots of names for ONE God and I have a few favorites of my own off the Heavenly the list. I love “Wonderful Counselor” because I know that He takes me “by the right hand and He leads” me and I know that He “counsels me even when I sleep”! I love “Jehovah Shammah” because it means GOD IS THERE and sometimes when I’m struggling, you’ll hear me shout this Name as a powerful reminder to me that He’s always with me. I love to refer to “The Living God” because He IS alive and well…He’s omnipotent and omnipresent and that Name reminds me that He’s part of everything. I love to read about when Moses asked God who He should say sent him, and God responded with “I AM WHO I AM” because He IS the only true God and no other names for Him were needed. There are a few others at the top of the list for me but none of them compare to “JESUS”. There’s no mistaking who my God is when I mention this Name and I know that one day,” EVERY knee shall bow and EVERY tongue confess that He is Lord” whether the “haters” believe that to be true or not.

I’m standing on His promises this morning and I’m speaking His Name in ways that honor Him. You’ll never hear me refer to the “universe” as if there is some mystical thing out there tuning in to my life. You’ll never hear me say “somebody is looking out for me” as if this nameless and faceless “somebody” has the ability to take care of me. You’ll hear me mention His Name in the midst of most of my conversations and when you do; there will be NO DOUBT whatsoever about what I stand for or Who I serve. How about you? Do you claim to Believe but refuse to speak up and are you more worried about being “politically correct” and “not offending” anybody else while you hide the King of Kings from your world? I sure hope not. He makes it pretty clear that if you DENY Him; He’ll deny you one day too. If you share my Faith start talking like it! If you don’t share my Faith but you’re intrigued by the Peace and the Power within me; reach out to me. My God will BLOW YOUR MIND and change your life and when I’m done with you; you won’t be able to speak a sentence without Him in it either!