God wants us to use His name in accordance with the Bible in a sincere and respectful manner.
Ps. 115:1: Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
- God wants us to trust in His name in all times of trouble.
Ps. 50:15: Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.
Assignment: Read Matt. 8:23-27: The disciples in distress; Matt. 15:22: 60
The Canaanite woman; Luke 23:42,43: The thief on the cross. - God wants us to trust in His name when we pray:
Matt. 7:7: Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.
Luther says: “For this end it is also of service that we form the habit of daily commending ourselves to God, with soul and body, wife, children, servants, and all that we have, against every need that may occur; whence also the blessing and thanksgiving at meals, and other prayers, morning and evening, have originated and remain in use.” - God wants us to thank and praise His name. This occurs in our prayers of thanks and hymns of praise and at other times when we confess that we have received all the good things we have as gifts from God.
James 1:17: Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.
Ps. 103:1,2: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.
Assignment: Read Luke 17:11-19. - God wants us to tell others about Him with our words and deeds.
Ps. 145:10-12: All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord; and Thy saints shall bless Thee. They shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy power, to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
Confessing that we are Christ‘s disciples, faithfulness and honesty in our everyday lives, conscientiousness and a sense of responsibility in all things at home, at work and elsewhere, a contented and friendly spirit – all these are noble testimonies of our faith.
2 Cor. 3:3: Ye are...the epistle of Christ. - God wants us to confess His name before our fellow men. This happens especially when we teach the pure doctrine of God‘s Word, defend it against false teachings and commit everything we have to the glory of God and the eternal salvation of souls.
Matt. 10:32,33: Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.
Mark 8:38: Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
