​Does the Lord care about names? Ask Abram, Sarai, Jacob, Simon, and even Paul. What importance does God give to His own Name?
Do you think He is interested in yours? Considering the plans He has for it, I think so!

​One of the hardest things we will ever do is remain still when everything inside us is screaming to move. When we’re hit with jolting news, our minds race for solutions, as if everything depends on us.
But God calls us to control our thoughts—to steady them instead of letting them run wild, to stop and think, to be still, and know.
Our peace depends on it.

​When trouble hits, what is my first response? It may be hard to control that first thought, but it is entirely possible to determine what the second one will be.
It is then and there that the road to victory or defeat begins.
The first and last words of Psalm 46:1 are key to understanding how I should proceed as a believer. The last one describes the context: TROUBLE; the first one gives the response: GOD
When I am smacked with a problem, how have I chosen to respond? If this decision is not made in advance, my flesh will take the lead every time. 
How important it is to fix our eyes on God, who is our refuge against the external enemy as well as our strength for the internal struggle.

​People are used to singers who toot their horns and promote themselves. That’s what many do. Billions of dollars exchange hands as musicians showcase their talent. However, when someone starts singing the praises of another, there is a different response—heads turn and ears perk up.
Even in a secular society, if an individual exalts the Lord, there will be some positive reaction. We may not always notice it, but it will be there. All around us, unseen, are people whose hearts quietly yearn for God. They are often hidden from sight behind a veil of self-sufficiency and modern attire, but sometimes a Christian’s praise is just what can draw them out of hiding.
Do not despise the power of praise.
Keep praising the Lord and be assured that it is a powerful testimony.

Most of us do not like negative rules, and yet that is how God gave many of the important ones. Adam and Eve had one clear DO NOT; half of the Ten Commandments start with, “Thou shalt not”; the Book of Psalms begins with a triple advice not to go a certain way. Our Maker, who knows us well, considers this an effective way to communicate His will; therefore, we should probably move aside our natural aversions and pay attention!
So begins this fantastic Book of the Psalms.

Peter was serious about his loyalty to the Lord and his willingness to die for Him. He loved his Master and believed He was the Messiah. He may not have been a trained fighter, but he was a tough fisherman, used to hard work and danger on the sea.
So the stinging rebuke from the Master must have confused him a lot.
What he could not foresee was how the crisis would come. He had the courage to fight, but when the battle came, it was not like he had expected. The Lord told him to put up his sword at the very moment it seemed most needed!
He was not prepared for that.
And so it is many times with us. We may think ourselves strong and ready to handle the challenges of faith until the Lord allows us to be hit with a total surprise. This shocking jolt can be so unnerving that our usual confidence comes crashing down.
May the Lord help us anchor our faith in Him every day, so we are more ready for those unexpected storms that come our way.
(Matthew 7:24-25/Mark 14:27-31)
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