From His Heart Daily Devotional 19 December 2021

HIS NAME IS JESUS

“And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21

I was once privileged to take a seminary I-Term (one week intensive class) with author, speaker, and beloved professor, Dr. Calvin Miller. Dr. Miller is a super guy, full of joy and excitement for the Lord. I learned a lot from him that week.

One of my favourite Calvin Miller quotes deals with the false god of the politically correct today, appropriately dubbed “the great mush god.” Miller writes:

We’ve all gotten to like this soft new god—this god that welcomes everybody, this god who comes in bubble-wrap and has no sharp edges to sort of needle or offend anybody, the god we can all take together. He has no heritage and of course we will never learn to pray in the name of Jesus if we serve this god.

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This is the great ‘mush god.’ He has been known to appear to millionaires on the golf course, politicians at ribbon cutting ceremonies and clergymen speaking the invocation on National Television. The great ‘mush god’ has no theology, he’s got ‘cream of wheat’ divinity, he has no particular credo. Because this god is not a jealous god, you can invoke this god to start any venture. He is the god of the Rotary, a god of the optimists; he is the protector of the buddy system.

The ‘mush god’ is a serviceable god whose laws are not chiseled on stone but are written in sand—amenable to amendment, qualification or erasure. This god will make any agreement you wish and declare all alliances holy. I know of no other way to stand against such a little soft ‘g’ god but to get in touch with the God spelt with a big “G.”

MAKE NO MISTAKE

The big “G” God has a name, Jesus. We sing about Him at Christmas as “sweet little Jesus boy,” lying in a manger… but that is not the full story. That sweet little baby in Bethlehem is the mighty God of the universe. His name, Jesus, means Yahweh saves. Jesus is the Son of God and God the Son. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and One and Only Savior. Every knee will bow one day before Jesus. God the Father will make certain of that.

As you worship the Lord this Christmas, remember that He is not mushy. He is “full of grace and truth.” He has grace to forgive us of our sins… and commandments for us to live by and keep. He calls us to “come out from among them and be separate.”

The time is now to take a stand and shine for Jesus Christ, “for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The time is now to lay aside all that entangles us and walk in the light with Jesus. He is worthy. He is good. He is God.

“Happy Birthday, King Jesus. It is an unfathomable privilege to know you as my personal Savior, Lord and friend!”

Love,

Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries

Read Love Worth Finding with Adrian Rogers 19 December 2021 – God Always Makes the First Move