Mwaramutse GOD's choice! May your week be blessed. May joy be in hour home and may goodness never leave you. Don't stop doing good. Keep doing what GOD asks you to do.
Part 1: GOD is our FATHER and he loves us. We are a family and a body of which CHRIST is the head.
No effective prayer without GOD
In this manner, therefore, pray
Our FATHER who is in heaven
Part 2: We worship GOD alone.
4. Hallowed be your name
9 In this manner, therefore, pray [proseuchomai, Strong n° 4336, greek]: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name [onoma, Strong n° 4336, greek];
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earthas it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil [poneros, Strong n° 4190, greek] one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthiew 6: 9-13, NKJV)
4. Hallowed be your name
❖ [...] Hallowed be Your name [onoma, Strong n° 3686, greek] (Matthew 6:9, NKJV).
❖ You shall not take the name of the LORD your GOD in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. [Shav', Strong n° 7723, hebrew]. (Exodus 20:7, NKJV)
❖ You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you. (Leviticus 22:32, NKJV)
❖ So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is the GOD over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. (2 Samuel 7:26, NKJV)
❖ Therefore GOD also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the glory of GOD the FATHER. (Philippians 2: 9-11, NKJV)
❖ And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the HOLY SPIRIT, it will not be forgiven. (Luke 12:10, NKJV)
A name is a word or group of words used to designate, identify, distinguish and categorize. In the Bible, two words are most commonly translated as name: Shem (Strong n°8034, Hebrew) and onoma (Strong's n°3686, Greek). The New Testament was written in Greek by Jews who spoke Hebrew or Aramaic. Beyond the literal name, these words have other meanings.
Shem comes from the word Sumn (Strong n°7760, Hebrew) meaning: to put, to place, to serve, to arrange, to designate, to make. Shem (Strong n°8034, Hebrew) also means:
Reputation ⇒ " A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold." (Proverbs 22:1, NKJV)
Fame, glory, memory, monument ⇒ " Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the LORD for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” (Isaiah 55:13, NKJV)
It also sometimes refers to the descendants or lineage of a person ⇒ " One will say, ‘I am the LORD’s’; Another will call himself by the name of Jacob; Another will write with his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’And name himself by the name of Israel." (Isaiah 44:5, NKJV)
According to Strong's Bible Dictionary, the word Onoma (Strong's no. 3686, Greek) is also the name used for all that it covers, all that is thought or felt when brought to mind by the mention of it, by hearing it, by remembering it, both by rank, authority, actions, etc.
GOD has many names and none of them are accidental. GOD's names reveal his nature, his character, his power and his works. No one can know GOD unless GOD reveals himself to him. Behind each of his names (mentioned in the Bible) is a revelation and a testimony. GOD does not dissociate himself from these names. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is what he says and he says what he is. Sanctifying the name of GOD is therefore sanctifying all that relates to him, all that is associated with his name.
This includes not using his name in vain (mockery and exclamation), not mentioning his name with blasphemous or manipulative intentions. Sanctifying his name also means taking care of the testimony he gives about GOD publicly : not telling the world what GOD does not say or what the Bible does not teach. Since GOD does not disassociate himself from his names, revering GOD implies holding his name in high esteem 🙂 You have no obligation to write GOD's names entirely in capital letters as I do. However, if you neglect to write the first letter in capital letters, it is a lack of reverence towards him.
Hallowing the name of the LORD is a commandment. He himself says that he will not let whoever takes his name in vain go unpunished (Exodus 20:7). He who hangs the name of the LORD in vain deprives himself of grace and exposes himself to curses. JESUS and the FATHER are one (John 10:30, John 17:21-22). The FATHER has exalted the SON and given him the name above all names, making him LORD for his glory (Philippians 2:9-11). All GOD's names find their fulfillment through the life and ministry of JESUS. He who sanctifies the name of the SON sanctifies the name of the FATHER. Whoever wants to sanctify the name of the FATHER must sanctify the name of the SON. « JESUS said to him, “I am the way,the truth, and the life.No one comes to the FATHER except through Me. » (John 14:6, NKJV). To sanctify the name of the SON is to live one's life inspired by the life of the SON. It is to believe, say, do, thank, and be like JESUS.
Speaking of the HOLY SPIRIT, JESUS said: « He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the FATHER has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you." (John 16:14-15, NKJV). The HOLY SPIRIT is commissioned by JESUS to glorify His name and teach us. As the SON speaks for the FATHER, the HOLY SPIRIT speaks for the SON. Therefore, honoring the SON involves honoring the HOLY SPIRIT. Of course, he who honors the HOLY SPIRIT does not blaspheme against the HOLY SPIRIT.
When we say hallowed be thy name. We are saying to GOD: " May you be recognized, celebrated, honored, worshipped in spirit and in truth. May everything associated with your name be set apart and dedicated to you alone. May the glory be given to you alone and may my life reveal CHRIST. "
** Mwaramutse = Good morning in Kinyarwanda (Rwanda)
To go futher :
- Question & Answer The Sin of Blasphemy Defined, Emmanuel Makandiwa