"Having His Father's name written on their foreheads."
—Revelation 14:1
My mom was married and divorced seven times.
Thus, there were quite a few last names I could have chosen to take. But there was only one of those men who treated me as a father should treat a son: Oscar Felix Laurie. So I chose that name. When looking at the other options, it was the "name above all other names." Though he was not my biological father, he was in every other way my dad.
You've heard the expression "Who's your daddy?" Well, the Bible says you have a choice of who your father will be. You can either be "of your father the devil" (John8:44) or you can choose the Heavenly Father.
If we are wise, we will choose the "name above all names," Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:19 tells us, "The Lord knows those who are His." God sees what others may not. He knows those who bear His mark. It's like those TSA Agents who use that little light on your driver's license at the airport. It's a black light that picks up a hologram on your license to help them authenticate it.
When we trust in Christ, He gives us His seal—His ID tag. Why? Because we belong to Him! We read in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, "You are not your own. For you were bought at a price."
In old days, if something belonged to a king, it carried his seal. In the same way, we carry God's seal: the Holy Spirit. "He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything He has promised us" (2 Corinthians 1:22 NLT).
I read a story about an old gentleman who was known for his godly life. Someone asked him one day, "What do you do when you are tempted, Old Man?" He replied, "I just look up to heaven and say, 'Lord, Your property is in danger.'"
If you are a Christian, then you are His. You bear His seal, His mark, and His name.
Thus, there were quite a few last names I could have chosen to take. But there was only one of those men who treated me as a father should treat a son: Oscar Felix Laurie. So I chose that name. When looking at the other options, it was the "name above all other names." Though he was not my biological father, he was in every other way my dad.
You've heard the expression "Who's your daddy?" Well, the Bible says you have a choice of who your father will be. You can either be "of your father the devil" (John8:44) or you can choose the Heavenly Father.
If we are wise, we will choose the "name above all names," Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:19 tells us, "The Lord knows those who are His." God sees what others may not. He knows those who bear His mark. It's like those TSA Agents who use that little light on your driver's license at the airport. It's a black light that picks up a hologram on your license to help them authenticate it.
When we trust in Christ, He gives us His seal—His ID tag. Why? Because we belong to Him! We read in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, "You are not your own. For you were bought at a price."
In old days, if something belonged to a king, it carried his seal. In the same way, we carry God's seal: the Holy Spirit. "He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything He has promised us" (2 Corinthians 1:22 NLT).
I read a story about an old gentleman who was known for his godly life. Someone asked him one day, "What do you do when you are tempted, Old Man?" He replied, "I just look up to heaven and say, 'Lord, Your property is in danger.'"
If you are a Christian, then you are His. You bear His seal, His mark, and His name.
~Greg Laurie~
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