II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 61 - "Your Name"

I woke this morning with these words of "Your Name" going through my head...

Jesus in your name we pray come and fill our hearts today and give us strength to live for you and Glorify your name

Your name is a strong and mighty tower your name is a shelter like no other your name let the nation sing it louder cause nothing has the power to save but your name

I thought about what these words mean to me. "His Name" goes beyond salvation for me. It even goes beyond sanctification. "His Name" is what will see me to eternal life. Woo hoo! I have comfort in calling upon "His Name" on this earth and can only imagine what it will be like when I sit at His feet in heaven. I think of how I feel when I bask on the memories I have of my earthly father. I get a warm, fuzzy feeling as I think of times in the past that we spent together. I always felt his love for me. I can say the same for my Heavenly Father. I always feel His love for me. While on this earth I could call my earthly father at any time and receive his counsel, love, etc. The same can be said for my Heavenly Father. He is always here for me. I especially feel His strength in the 'tough' days of life. I experience His strength in my physical body when mine wants to quit or is in pain. I experience His strength in my emotional body when my emotions are raw and I call upon His name. I experience His strength in my mental body through the wisdom He gives me. I experience His strength in my financial being through the way He blesses me through others. His strength can only be found in the fullest through my obedience. I will continue to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in His strength. I will not allow the enemy to cause fear in my life. This morning He directed me to read Psalm 61. I was so encouraged as I read it in different translations. In The Passion Translation it is entitled a "Prayer of Protection." I need protected from the enemy. I love how verse three describes this. None of my foes can touch me when I'm held firmly in your wrap-around presence! Woo hoo! His wrap-around presence! That means there is no gap in His presence. There is no gap in His love for us! 

O God, hear my prayer. Listen to my heart’s cry.
2 For no matter where I am, even when I’m far from home,
I will cry out to you for a father’s help.
When I’m feeble and overwhelmed by life,
guide me into your glory, where I am safe and sheltered.
3 Lord, you are a paradise of protection to me.
You lift me high above the fray.
None of my foes can touch me
when I’m held firmly in your wrap-around presence!
4 Keep me in this glory.
Let me live continually under your splendor-shadow,
hiding my life in you forever.
Pause in his presence
5 You have heard my sweet resolutions
to love and serve you, for I am your beloved.
And you have given me an inheritance of rich treasures,
which you give to all your lovers.
6 You treat me like a king, giving me a full and abundant life,
years and years of reigning,
like many generations rolled into one.
7 I will live enthroned with you forever!
Guard me, God, with your unending, unfailing love.
Let me live my days walking in grace and truth before you.
8 And my praises will fill the heavens forever,
fulfilling my vow to make every day a love gift to you!

As we live in Him, we will be able to live out verse eight. We will be empowered to praise Him...making every day a love gift to Him! I love this! I desire to not only live out His will in my life but in doing so making every day a love gift to Him! There are days I know I miss opportunities He puts before me. When that happens, I must ask for forgiveness. That is why every morning I start my day asking Him to cleanse me so He can fill me. That will be the only way I can make every day a love gift to Him! His love is described in verse seven as unending, unfailing. That is the type of love I need to strive to share with others. I need to live in His presence so His love will ooze out of me in a new, different way every day. As I do that, I will have a future with Him for eternity. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, 

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for going before me and blessing me physically, mentally, emotionally, financially but most of all spiritually. Thank You for this song and Scripture this morning that encourages me to call upon Your name no matter what is happening in my life. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. May Your love ooze out of me in a new, different way today so people will see/hear You instead of me. I pray Your love to pour into Doc in a new, different way. He needs physical and emotional strength in a mighty way today. Lord, continue to heal his body of the cancer. Lord, I also pray an emotional strength for: Sharon with her father's health; Shirley as she begins this new journey of live without John; and Jim and Drew on their journey without their special ladies. Father, thank You for being their Comforter! Father, I also pray for physical strength for my day ahead. I pray Your supernatural empowerment to come down upon me in a mighty way! When my physical body is struggling, my emotional and mental bodies are effected. May You be greater, Lord! May You be greater! May I be empowered to make a love gift for You today! Thank You Jesus for being My Empowerment! Amen.