Call Upon the Name of the LORD

Dec 7, 2003

Dear Friend of Mary Craig Ministries,

What’s in a name? Well, if your name is Jesus, then the answer is, salvation. He is the promised Messiah, Son of the Highest. He has many names and titles from which we can see both His Person and His Work. Some of those names are: Blessed and Only Potentate, Head of all Principality and Power, Savior, Desire of all Nations, Holy, Harmless, and Undefiled, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Lamb of God, LORD our Righteousness, Ruler of the Kings of the Earth, Word of God, King of Kings.

Calling upon the name of the Lord is part of the strategy God gave MCM when calling in the nations to repentance and resurrection. Why? Because the Bible tells us that as we call upon the name of the Lord, we will be saved.

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—
The same Lord is Lord of all, and richly blesses all
Who call on Him, for ‘Everyone who calls on the name
Of the Lord will be saved.’ (Romans 10.12, 13)

Jesus Christ, born of a woman, born under the law, laid in a manger in the city of David, was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. Do you see it? His destiny was tied up in His name. When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son to redeem those who were under the law. (Galatians 4.4, 5)

Jesus Christ, named according to the word of Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1.31) and to Joseph (Matthew 1.21), fulfilled the prophetic word.

He will be great, and will be called the Son
Of the Highest; and the Lord God will give
Him the throne of His father David, and He
Will reign over the house of Jacob forever,
And of His kingdom there will be no end.
(Luke 1.32, 33)

God spoke through His prophets. He sent angels with messages. And now, the Father remembers His holy covenant and His promised mercy. He sends His Son to grant that His own, being delivered from the hands of their enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of their lives. (Luke 1.72-75)

Immanuel, God with us, entered history in the days of Herod the king (Matthew 2.1). He was in the beginning with God. Indeed, all things were made through Him. (John 1.2, 3)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
Over all creation. For by Him all things were created
That are in heaven and that are on earth, visible
And invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
Principalities or powers. All things were created
Through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1.15, 16 NKJV)

The eternal, ultimate expression of God, the Word, became flesh to dwell among us and to declare to us the Father. God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, the supreme revelation. (Hebrews 1.1, 2)

Jesus Christ came to purge our sins and, after living, dying, and being raised from the dead, to ascend into heaven. To which of the angels did God every say: Sit at My right hand till I make Your enemies Your footstool? Angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation. (Hebrews 1.13, 14) As man and as God, Jesus Christ is superior to angels, indeed, pre-eminent.

Angels tell about Him, worship Him, and serve Him. Jesus’ Name never changed. He never swerved from nor altered His destiny. He came to save His people from their sins. He came that we might have life, eternal life. He knew of which He spoke. Yet He says,

No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from
Heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
Must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes
In Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God
So loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
Everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the
World to condemn the world, but that the world through
Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not con-
demned; but he who does not believe is condemned already
because he has not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God. (John 3.13-18)

Jesus’ Name means "The Lord is Salvation." As Christ, He is the Anointed One, the promised Messiah. He is Alpha and Omega, the Faithful Amen, Creator, Shepherd, Redeemer, Lamb of God, the Ancient of Days, Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The voice of many angels and living creatures say with a loud voice:

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power
And riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and
Glory and blessing! (Revelation 5.12)

In that humility of incarnation, in that humility of the servant-son, in that obedience to the point of death on the cross, when He had by Himself purged our sins, Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1.3, 4)

A more excellent name. Kings came from afar to kneel before Him. Angels bow before Him. Demons know this Jesus of Nazareth as the Holy One of God and do as He commands. (Mark 1.24) All of creation stands at attention for His word.

Jesus is the Father’s provision for our salvation, the crucified One, the risen and exalted Christ, the One to whom every knee will bow. How then should we worship Him this Christmas? How then will we serve Him? How then is the truth about Jesus affecting our lives, the decisions we make, the work we do, the people we befriend?

November 23^rd an MCM mission team ministered to the migrant farm workers of South Florida through the Barnabas Project. Thanks to many of you who participated through praying, giving, and going, we saw God bless and bless and bless. They were blessed. We were blessed. You were blessed. Edenie prayed to receive Jesus. Elias told us his story, how he was bullied at school and why he wore a key around his neck. Mothers trusted us with their small children. Fathers came this time to join in. Children helped each other, shared, and left smiling with school supplies, toys, clothes, books, and hope. Some 50 Bibles in Spanish and English were distributed. Everyone was encouraged.

We are busy this month at Craighouse. More people are coming, and we have expanded our schedule another night. On Wednesday nights we present the gospel plainly for people needing to hear as well as for people who have just become believers and want to know "what happened." Tuesday nights we are studying the life of Joseph and the principles of his success in "The Immanuel Principle of Success." Friday nights we are taking hold of the holy and discovering the gospel according to the messages of the angels in scripture. Sunday afternoons, Rev. Jim Craig continues bringing the Words of Jesus. Saturday afternoons people join Stephen Craig in "Pray with Steve" to enter into the prayer of agreement for their needs.

December 21^st we will have our ninth annual Christmas celebration and caroling event. After a fellowship Christmas dinner, we will walk the streets of Ft. Lauderdale with the trumpet and tambourines. Men, women, and children will approach a house, huddle together to make a selection, and then fill the air with the carols of Christmas. We do this to testify to our neighbors that Jesus Christ, God’s final Word, has come.

I remember past caroling, when, moved by the words and the sudden trueness of our voices, we sing with increasing boldness and beauty. Two thousand Christmases become real to us as we stand in the long tradition of carolers carrying to the world the joy of Jesus’ birth. Carols remind us of family visits, cozy gatherings, timeless tunes telling of the Savior we have come to know. We are changed.

Here at Mary Craig Ministries strolling singers offer with joy the songs of their hearts and the Word of their faith. Those listening at windows and in doorways hear with love of the Love that sent Jesus. Every home without a Bible receives one that they might have within their house the Word of which we sing. Those with hearts to receive hear the testimony of the witness as some linger to share their faith as the carols fade into the night air.

This year I wonder: Will we approach Christmas with the amazement of those first angels announcing with song that first advent? Two thousand years ago the hills around Bethlehem echoed with angelic praises to God. Shepherds carried with them these songs of rejoicing. "Joy to the World," "tidings of comfort and joy," "Mary Had a Baby," "O come, O Come, Emmanuel," live in us today.

In His love,

Mary Craig

P.S. Check out www.marycraig.org for more on upcoming events, directions to Craighouse, updates on missions projects, and the release of my latest Bible study on 1 Peter: Kept by the Power of God described in the teaching catalog section.

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have
Not believed? And how shall they believe in
Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall
They hear without a preacher? And how shall
They preach, except they be sent? As it is
Written, How beautiful are the feet of
Them that preach the gospel of peace, and
Bring glad tidings of good things! (Romans 10.14, 15)

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Copyright © 2003 Mary Craig Ministries, Inc.

mary@marycraig.org