In this issue:
The Power of Jesus’ Name
David Clayton
When most of us think of a name, we usually think of the sound which is made when referring to, or addressing a person. Usually there is no more than that associated with the “name.” This is mostly true in the western part of the modern world where names are often chosen, not because they have any particular meaning, but because of how they sound. However, a name has always been more than simply a sound and in fact, the actual sound made when expressing a name is of far less significance than the actual meaning associated with it.
The significance of a name
Among ancient people, every name was chosen to convey a particular idea, or to express some hope. This is still true in many places of the world and it is clear that this was a powerful emphasis during Bible times. Names were intended to convey particular information and were much more than merely sounds used to identify particular people. A name in fact signified several things associated with the person to whom it belonged.
Firstly, it carried with it the authority of such a person. For example, a person might say, “go and ask for such and such a thing in my name.” What he is saying is that the use of his name, asking in his name, will legitimize the request; when the person asking uses the name, the request will be granted because the person whose name is used has control over the thing being requested.
Secondly, the name signified the character of the person. When a person says, “I have a good name,” what he means is that whenever people hear of him, they associate him with good things. People might not even know the actual name (the sound) by which he is called, but when people refer to him (as for example, “the man who lives on the hill”), they associate him with good.
The name of Jesus
The Bible is full of exhortations to Christians to use the name of Jesus. Over and over we have the counsel – in fact, we have the command to use the name of Jesus. Christians must do this. However, if we don’t understand what it means to use His name, then our use of the name might end up being no more than simply a formal exercise with no more effectiveness than the rituals and pronouncements of heathen rituals.
As we read the words of Christ and His apostles, it becomes clear that the power of God, available to the Christian, is associated with the use of Christ’s name. The New Testament writers are very strong in emphasizing this and in fact, one of the things about Christianity which causes the greatest offence to other religions is the fact that Christianity has this insistence that the name of Christ is the only way. Peter was very exclusive and very uncompromising in his statement on the day of Pentecost.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
In today’s world where it is popular to call evil good and to call good evil, where religion is simply an arm of civil governments and where morality is defined by psychology, it is not popular to be exclusive and many are outraged if anyone should dare to suggest that the name of Jesus is the only way to God. Yet, this is the truth which all who believe the Bible and understand the salvation which is in Christ, must embrace and teach. Christ is the only way, His name is the only authority on which salvation may be received.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)
Notice, it is through His name (authority), that those who believe in him receive remission of sins, it is those who believe on his name (authority) who receive the power to become sons of God. Simply put, we accept the authority of Jesus in giving us the right to become sons of God, we accept the authority of Jesus as the basis on which our sins are forgiven and the barriers between us and God removed. This means that it is imperative that we understand who Jesus is and what He did for us in accomplishing our salvation. If we are vague and uncertain in regard to these things, how will it be possible for us to understand the authority which Jesus possesses? How can we use His name with confidence and faith unless we are certain of its significance?
So we are forgiven, we become sons of God in Jesus’ name. Furthermore we find that the very possibility of our entering into the kingdom of God is dependent upon this name of Jesus. Therefore in every place that the Bible records where the apostles of Christ baptized people (four places in the New Testament), they used the name which carried power and authority with it, the name in which they had been commanded to do all things – the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:38; Acts 8:16; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5)
Yashua or Yehashua?
It is true that there are some very well meaning brethren who believe that it is critical that the actual sound of the Hebrew pronunciation of Jesus’ name be used. They somehow believe that because the Hebrews used this sound in referring to Him, or rather that because this was the Hebrew pronunciation of the word by which Christ was named, it is vital that we do the same thing today, and for all eternity. I will not address this issue today as it will distract from the point of this article. However, if we can understand the point of using the name of Jesus, certain things will become clear to us.
Are we being asked to focus on a particular sound, or on the authority of Jesus Christ? Furthermore, what is the basis of that authority of Jesus Christ? Why is it that He has such influence in heaven and why can we have such confidence in the fact that His influence there is supreme? Is it the way in which we use a particular sound when addressing Him, or is it the faith in who He is, which is the source of power? These are the issues which are truly critical when we speak of “the name of Jesus.” When a person, understanding what He did, who He is, where He is, calls upon God using the authority bestowed upon us by Jesus Christ, then all the promised blessings of heaven are opened to such a person. Not because he uses a certain sound or a certain accent in speaking with God, but because he recognizes and acknowledges the One that God sent.
Power in Jesus’ name
At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: (John 16:26)
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23-24)
Jesus was about to leave the disciples. Up to this point, they had been dependent on Him for everything. Their minds could not accept the possibility that they were now to be deprived of His presence, of the comforting assurance which came from having Him around, of the certainty with God which was associated with Him. Now Jesus opened up a new approach to their minds: “Up to this point,” He says, “you have never used my name in approaching God. You have never used my authority as the basis of your requests when asking God for anything. Now I am telling you to use my name – as the basis of your requests, use my authority – tell God that you expect to be answered BECAUSE OF ME. Not because you have been obedient, not because you have been born of a good family, not because you have been a faithful worker for Him, but because of me!” Ask Him to grant your request because of me, because you believe in me, because you accept that I am your only reason for acceptance with God. Ask in this way and I am telling you, whatever you ask, it will be done. He will give it to you!”
“Go ahead and try,” He said, “up to this point you have never asked for anything in my name, but now, go ahead and ask in my name. Ask, and YOU WILL RECEIVE so that you will be full of joy.”
What an extraordinary and wonderful promise!! Did He expect us to accept and apply this promise just as it reads? Just think about what Jesus was saying here and remember that He is One who cannot exaggerate nor lie. His whole point was that there was a way in which they could guarantee that God would hear and answer their prayers. That way was to use His name, something which they had never tried before. I can imagine that the next time these disciples went to pray, remembering the words of Jesus, they said, “in Jesus’ name Father, I am asking in Jesus’ name.” Their hope rested in Him, their expectation was based on the authority which He possessed in heaven and earth. The recognition of who He was and of what God had done through Him filled them with hope and expectation. They knew, as they asked in His name that the granting of their requests was an absolute certainty. He had said that it was so, and since He had all power in heaven and in earth, there was no question that it was so.
This is the same power available in Jesus’ name today. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, His love for us and His willingness to grant our requests is still just as certain as it always was. He is still the One who sits at God’s right hand, the place of all power, our Representative at His throne and He is still just as faithful in keeping His promise:
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13)
How great is the privilege which comes to us as we use the name of Jesus? This power is absolute. It is absolute because it is the very power of God made available to, and working through and on behalf of His children because they come to Him in the name of Jesus; because they look to Jesus as the ONLY source of their authority with God, they see Him as the only qualification needed in coming to God and requesting any needed blessing in heaven and earth. This was the reason for the great power which attended the early apostolic work and which has attended every true revival throughout history. It is the fact that all attention and all dependency was focused on Jesus alone. Humanity and its merits and capabilities faded into nothingness. None approached God on any basis but on the basis of Jesus and the results were extraordinary. The promise given by Jesus was fulfilled in its entirety.
The Authority of Jesus
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18)
For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. (1 Corinthians 15:27)
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9)
Let us never lose sight of this foundational fact: Jesus Himself is the Redeemer of God’s Israel. The power of God is in His hand and all things have been put under His feet. When we come in Jesus’ name, we come on the basis that our brother, One who is our flesh and blood brother, sits on the throne of the universe. We come to God in His name, meaning that all that He possesses, we claim. Whatever is His right and authority is the right and authority which we claim. Oh may God help us to understand what we have been given, help us to understand what it means that we may come to Him, in Jesus’ name.
Jesus’ authority in us
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18)
Notice the extraordinary things which were to be done, and which were done by those who believed. But notice even more carefully the condition on which these things were done – it was, “in my name!” It was the name of Jesus which was the basis and the reason for this extraordinary power which attended the work of the apostles.
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. (Luke 10:17)
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6)
And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. (Acts 3:16)
Let us understand that when we use the name of Jesus, He is duty-bound to honour all that we have come to expect in association with His name. That is, all which He has promised, and all which God has promised through Him.
The source of the power
We have seen that the name of Jesus has reference to His character and authority and that we must come to God or to Jesus, in utter dependency on Him. We must depend on what He has done, on who He is, on the place where He sits. However, there is another vital aspect to the name of Jesus which we must understand. All the power and authority and the character of Jesus are wrapped up in one single gift which has been given to the children of God. Well, isn’t this gift, Jesus Himself? Is it not in Him that the power, authority and character are all wrapped up? Yes, this is true, but consider this statement of Jesus:
If ye love me, keep my commandments. (16) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (18) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:15-18)
Consider the implications of what Jesus was saying here. He was deeply concerned by the obvious distress of His disciples now that they knew He would be going away. He reassured them with the promise, “I will send another Comforter – in fact, I will come to you!” From this time forward, the strength of the disciples could not be based on the physical, visible presence of Jesus. Up to this point they could always have come to Him, told Him their difficulties, explained their frustrations and their needs and He was always there to help them. But now, He was leaving and it seemed that they were to be left as helpless orphans. But Jesus reassured them, “my presence will be with you. I will be there, literally (not physically), I will be there just as certainly and as truly as when you could see my physical form.” So the authority, the character of Jesus would be with them and IN THEM! This was what He had promised – the Comforter would be IN them. No wonder they were to use the name (authority) of Jesus, because it was indeed Jesus Himself who would be in them and working through them. The use of His name was simply their recognition of the fact, and their expression of faith in the truth that He was in them.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
So all the authority, character and power of Jesus has been embodied in the holy spirit and given as a gift to His people. By this means, Jesus, with all His attributes, dwells with, and in His people. He is their life, their Comforter, their authority, their security, their power. Therefore, they do all things in His name, acknowledging that it is indeed He who lives in them and that all their works are done in, and through and by Him. The holy spirit in fact, is the name of Jesus (Jesus’ authority made alive). So when we use the name of Jesus in faith, we are turning the key which releases all the power of the holy spirit present in us.
authority as a group
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)
God loves all of us and in Jesus Christ He is able to manifest His love in a special way to those who are His children. He does not love one of us or some of us only, He loves us all. As a father loves all his children and knows each one individually, so God loves us each one. But I am a father and I know that one of my happiest moments is when my children are gathered together and I am there with them. I also remember that there was no happier moment for my own father than when all the family would gather together and sing. His ten children are scattered far and wide now, but while he was alive his greatest pleasure was when there was a family get-together and we would just spend some time around him.
Understanding this, I can appreciate with greater insight what Jesus meant by the statement above. Whenever His brethren gather together in His name, that is, with their interest and attention centered on Him, then He would be present among them in a special way. His presence and His power would be manifested. Notice, that this is not so when people gather together for any reason, but is especially true when they gather together in His name!
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 5:4)
The power of the Lord is present when we gather together in His name. May we understand and believe this wonderful reality. As we congregate around Him, focused on Him, recognizing Him, then not only will we see His character manifested in us, but we will see the manifestations of His power among us. The sick will be healed, devils cast out, because it is He Himself living in and among us when we come together, in His name.
Relating to the sick
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (James 5:14)
We are all familiar with this verse in James. The sad thing is that we are more familiar with this verse and perhaps have it more prominently embedded in our minds than the verse which follows it:
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:15)
It is amazing that there is no “maybe” or “perhaps” mentioned in the verse. The simple statement of truth is that “the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.” Jesus is just as present among His people as He ever was, and just as willing and ready to heal our diseases, spiritual and physical, as He ever was. This is the reason for our confidence, this is the reason for our readiness to carry out the instructions given. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever. What He did while He was here, He is ready and willing to do again, over and over, for all who put their trust in Him, as the people did two thousand years ago.
Yet, most of the time that this promise in the book of James is read and exercised, there is more of a desperate hope than any real conviction that the promise will certainly be fulfilled. Why is this so? We are told that the sick is to be anointed “in the name of the Lord.” Again we see this essential reality that it is Jesus in us and among us who must exercise His own power. We have none, but when we anoint the sick “in the name of the Lord,” we are recognizing and laying hold on His presence among us and this is why the sick is healed! As we anoint the sick in the name of the Lord, it is the exercise of faith in the reality of all that Christ is to us, in the reality that Christ’s character of love and mercy makes Him always willing to take our sorrows, to take our pains and sufferings, spiritual or physical and to heal them.
An attitude to guard against
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. (Acts 19:13-17)
The experience of the seven sons of Sceva emphasizes the point that there is no power in the sound of the name. There is no benefit in using words without possessing faith in what they represent. If it were not for the mercy of God there would be far more today who have the same experience as the sons of Sceva, or perhaps it is that modern-day Christians keep so far away from anything supernatural that Satan does not have much opportunity to manifest himself on them in the same way as he did with these sons of Sceva. The power is not in words, the power is not in a sound spoken with the right accents. The power is Jesus Himself, the one who ruled nature, who ruled devils, who ruled over sickness and disease while He was here and is still just as much alive and well in those who are truly His children. Faith in this truth, confidence in Him and in His indwelling presence is the key which releases His power in our lives and in our circumstances.
His name in all things
When we understand this truth, when the reality of it and the implications of it are truly understood and appreciated, then the words of the apostle Paul will hardly be necessary as far as we are concerned because our own hearts will draw us naturally into an experience where the name of Jesus becomes our reason for everything.
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (Ephesians 5:20)
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Colossians 3:17)
God bless you, in the name of Jesus!
Surrender
Until we accept and cooperate with the law of gravity, we can’t fly. Until we accept and cooperate with the law of economics, we can’t succeed in business. Getting the idea? Surrendering to God is not weakness, it’s wisdom. Only a fool resists God, because it’s a fight we can’t win. It’s in surrendering to Him that we are empowered to succeed in what He’s called us to do. Surrender is demonstrated by obedience. It’s saying, ‘Yes, Lord’ to whatever He asks. To say, ‘No, Lord’ is a contradiction. How can we call Jesus ‘Lord’, and refuse to obey Him? (Luke 6:46 NKJV). Peter demonstrated true surrender when Jesus told him to try again. ‘…”Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish…’ (Luke 5:5-6 NKJV). Surrendered people obey God even when it doesn’t seem to make sense. Abraham followed God without knowing where it would take him. Hannah waited on God’s timing without knowing when. Mary expected a miracle without knowing how. Joseph trusted God’s plan without knowing why circumstances happened as they did. Each was fully surrendered to God, and they came out on top. ‘How will I know I’m fully surrendered?’ we ask. When we rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force our own agenda or control the situation. We don’t have to be in charge, we simply let go and let God have His way. – Author Unknown
A New Life
Reaco Coach
”Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
What is it like to be converted? Well some say it means having the life of Christ, but when we say that, it doesn’t say everything. So let me tell you about my own experience.
On December 27, 2009; I went to a day of fasting held in Albion, Manchester. We arrived late, but that didn’t really matter. As I went into the building, I felt pretty tight meaning that I felt like I needed air, so I went outside but to my surprise I felt no better! I then decided that I would get some water but still no relief so I just went back inside.
After half an hour we were told to have a fifteen minute break, so I thought this would help me to feel a little better, but there was no change. After the break, we went back inside and started to sing some songs. In the process of singing I heard a voice say to me, ” Son!” , but I thought that it was just my mind so I just ignored the voice. After singing we prayed and were given individually five minutes to pray silently: so I started praying about the first thing that came to me which was the burning in my heart and to my astonishment I started to get so hot that I felt like my body was in a shock! So I got up , went outside, and went to go and try to get something to relieve me.
That night I didn’t really feel any better than in the day but only felt worse. On Monday night at 12 o’clock, I was standing in my room looking through the window at the moon, as usual, when suddenly I turned around and saw an angel in white apparel standing beside my bedroom dresser! Now I was so dumbfounded that I did not know what to say, or do. As I stood there he said to me, ”Son, I have a work for you and want you to fulfill it.” He then touched me on my shoulder, opened a book that he had, and wrote my name in it, smiled and left. Now I know it might sound like am just pulling of a joke, but it is true what I am telling you.
On Tuesday morning I was a different person. The burning feeling was still there, but I realized that it was Christ working on my heart. I started to read my Bible more often until I was so caught up in my Bible that I had to be forced to do my chores, schoolwork etc. after a while I became very happy that I was getting to know Christ in such a way and probably words could not describe how I felt. It was a great joy for me to know that Christ was becoming my best friend!
At about 7 o’clock, that night (Tuesday night) I was sitting there writing some notes for a report I was to give at class, when I heard that same voice I had heard on the day of the fasting. I thought it was my mother calling me so I asked her if she called me, but she said no, so I thought, “o.k. then, that’s weird.” Anyway, after that I went to bed with a lot of puzzling thoughts on my mind.
The next morning I woke up with mixed feelings:
1. A voice kept telling me to get baptized and another voice was telling me that I was not ready.
2. I started to feel as if my life was empty and no matter what I tried, in an attempt to feel satisfied, it seemed as if it just got worse.
I then realized that I was at a point of decision and I needed to decide whether I wanted to follow Christ or to continue with my normal life routine. I then thought about it and decided that I would follow Christ! I told my parents about my decision and they were probably the happiest persons you could find. They said, “Really! Praise God, that was our desire for you from the day that you were born.” So my baptism date was set for March 14, 2010. That was eleven days after my birthday!
When March 14 arrived, I was baptized at Alligator Pond with five other young people. After I got baptized it was like an awakening for other young people in my age group and a little older. Several of them wanted to make the same decision that I had made. It was a blessing to me, I am now thirteen-years old, but I would love for children to read of my own experience, and to find Christ the only source of life and the main reason for living. I also hope that this will be a blessing to a lot of, parents and encouragement to them also in their job of raising their children.
Blessings to you all , and may the Lord keep you as I pray for you all.
”Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Phil 1:6)
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Phone: 1(876)355-5830
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“Daddy” Clayton Goes to Rest
On the morning of June 29, 2011, Percival Darlston Clayton, fondly known by all who worshipped with him as, “Daddy” Clayton, went to sleep in the Lord. He was 86 years old when he died, having been born on the 27th of February, 1925. His passing took place at the Spanish Town Public Hospital where he had been admitted the night before suffering from stomach pains. By the time he arrived at the hospital he was unconscious and died within twelve hours of arriving there. The initial diagnosis is that he probably had a bladder infection which spread through his whole body and resulted in his death. This assumption has not yet been verified by a post-mortem at the time of this printing.
Daddy Clayton is missed by his wife, Marie, His ten children, Darlston, Gideon, David, Donald, Charles, Marie, Paul, Annette, Dunstan and Jacinth. He is also mourned by his thirty-three grand-children and his thirty-five great-grand children.
In addition he leaves behind a mourning church family in Albion Manchester, Spanish Town, St. James, St. Elizabeth, Clarendon and in other parts of Jamaica, all of whom fondly knew and loved him, as, “Daddy” Clayton.
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Thoughts from his son, David
The greatest pain of losing Daddy comes from the realization that I never knew how much he meant to me until he was gone. As the reality of this sank into my mind, my grief was past tears. Nothing could soothe the pain in my heart. Friends called to express sympathy, to remind me that I would see him again, but nothing could give me what my heart was crying out for – just five minutes more of life, just one more day so I could let him know how much I really loved and appreciated him.
Daddy was a truly extraordinary man. I keep thinking of the words of a song I heard many years ago which goes like this:
He was small in stature, big a man;
A man to be reckoned with, gentle and kind.
He solved my little problems, always lent a hand,
That’s why he is still the greatest man to walk this land.
Oh Dad, oh Dad,
I wish you were here to wipe these tears out of your little boy’s eyes;
Oh Dad, oh Dad,
I wish you were here to reap your share of the joys that you never had.
This describes Daddy. He was only about five foot six inches in his prime, but in spite of this, he was a big man. His impact on the lives of those around him was way out of proportion to his physical stature. Daddy was fearless. Sometimes I wondered what this courage rested on. It certainly wasn’t on his five foot six inches frame! I remember when I was a boy how he was driving one night at about one o’clock in the morning and saw a man walking on the road with some goats. Goat-stealing is one of the things which is a plague in some parts of Jamaica. Daddy pulled up beside the man and demanded, “hello sir, where did you get those goats?” The startled man ran off at full speed abandoning the apparently stolen goats. Daddy simply put the goats in the car trunk and took them to the nearest police station. What he did was an act that could have gotten him killed, but he didn’t seem to think of those things. Now that I look back, I always seem to see him interfering with people and things when it seemed that an injustice was being done.
I remember when I was a small boy, we were all driving some place when he saw a woman cruelly beating her two sons. He stopped the car and got out and intervened speaking sharply to the woman. I don’t remember what he said, or how he said it, but by the time we moved on, the beating had stopped and the women was a much wiser and chastened person.
He took on things which sometimes made me want to cringe and hide. Sometimes I prayed that he wouldn’t be hurt, but he never backed away from what he considered an injustice. He was always strong in raising his voice in defense of what he considered to be right and against what he knew to be wrong and he was always ready to back up his words by physical intervention if need be! It never seemed to occur to him that he was a small man who could get hurt.
Our family was full of art, singing, poetry. All of us possessed these attributes in one degree or another. This is because all these gifts were eminently present in Daddy. He loved singing and the greatest joy of his life was when the entire family came to visit and we would sing one of the old choir anthems which he had taught us as children. When the basses tenors altos and sopranos came in, you would have thought that heaven had come down. He delighted in those moments more than in any other thing in life.
In my opinion, he was one of the great poets of the world. He was not widely recognized, but his poetry was sublime. He could say a thousand things in a single line. His thoughts were profound and deep, especially when expressed in poetry. We, his children, inherited snippets of this ability, but none of us could come close to him in this respect.
Now that he is gone, it seems to me that there is something wrong with the universe! Not merely with our family, not simply with the world, but my mind keeps thinking, “there is something missing from the universe.” God’s creation seems to have been left with a gap, now that he is gone. I realize now that this is how big he was in my mind. Every aspect of my life, every achievement, every discovery, pain, disappointment, joy or sorrow, is touched with his presence and influence. He was always there, even when he was physically absent.
He was always in pain when we suffered, always full of pride and joy when we were doing well. He was one person upon whom we could always count for good advice no matter what aspect of life or creation we needed counsel on. It startles me, even as I think about it now, that even at my present age of 58, I still saw Daddy as the person to turn to whenever I needed some sage advice or comment on any matter at all. Even when we sometimes disagreed, I valued his input, for I never knew the full pros and cons, until I had heard Daddy’s side.
This was not only true for his family, but it was true for all who knew him. Whether they knew him as “P.D.” “Percy,” “Pope,” (a nickname given to him in college) “Daddy,” or, “Mr. Clayton,” he was respected and loved by all who encountered him. A moment with him was a moment to be remembered. No one who knew him can ever forget the intent eyes, the dignity of his bearing, the deep, commanding, but often gentle, concerned voice, his genuine interest in one’s welfare. Whenever he was in a room, it was impossible to be unaware of his presence. His larger than life influence filled the atmosphere, whether he was speaking or not. There was something about him which commanded respect, which made him stand out and which drew people to him like a magnet.
It is a measure of the kind of person that he was, that all who worshipped with him for the last 25 years of his life, knew him as “Daddy.” This was not simply a term of endearment or honour, he truly was, “Daddy” to the entire congregation. People cherished his presence and hung around for his fatherly concern and counsel. They loved him as much, and took pride in possessing him as much, as did his flesh and blood family. It is significant that as I speak to these extended “children” of his, the thing which I hear most of them speaking about is the way he loved. It is true! I am amazed that I never realized it this clearly before. Sometimes he was concerned to the point of being overwhelming. Every time he saw me (or anyone else) his first concern was, “are you alright? Have you had something to eat?” It mattered not if he only had a crust of bread, he was eager to share it. He had this rare quality of making a person know that he REALLY cared. People felt that his concern was not just words, but each one felt that he or she, personally, rested on Daddy’s heart and this quality was probably the secret which accounted for the fact that he had friends who admired, respected, loved and depended on him, from all walks and persuasions of life.
Of all the things about which he preached, the thing which filled him more than anything else was the theme of “love.” He spoke of it until he wearied the brethren, then he spoke of it some more. We were never allowed to forget that this was the most important attribute of the Christian’s life, that this was the mark of the true disciples of Christ. He preached love without relenting, and the theme of his preaching was the theme of his life.
Daddy was not perfect. I am sure there are those who can speak of his faults. But today, as we look back at his life in panorama and see the things which stand out in prominence, we recognize that the sunshine which flowed from his life overwhelmed whatever shadows there might have been. He recognized his shortcomings too and while he hated them, he never allowed them to dominate his life. His hope was in Christ. His focus on love stemmed from his recognition of the fact that his own life was a demonstration of the power of God’s love and grace. He depended on God’s grace, he trusted in nothing else and went to sleep in the confidence that God’s faithfulness and love had guaranteed him a place with Jesus in eternity.
I have a personal memory which I will always cherish. A few years ago on my birthday he wrote some words on a birthday card which he and Mama sent to me. It was at a time when he and I were having some disagreements about matters of doctrinal interpretation. The words, in his own inimitable poetry read:
It was hope that gave your name,
God honoured faith and fanned the flame;
Now wings have grown
the bird has flown,
More His you are now, than our own
A moment’s joy to us He gave,
But God must own whom He will save.
Happy Birthday David
We love you
I wept when I received and read it, and I weep again now as I write. In this note I got a glimpse of my father’s heart, proud of the knowledge that God was working with his son, yet loving him enough to relinquish his hold on him and to let God be the supreme authority.
We must go on living now that he is gone, but I keep thinking, “how can we?” I will always look around and think, “there is something wrong with this picture.” I suppose that in time, the pain will pass. I know that Jesus, our Comforter, will soothe this sorrow too, but I also know, that until I see Daddy again, the gap will always be there in my life, a vacancy that cannot be filled, a place that no one else can occupy.
Sleep on and take your rest Daddy. I know that at the end, you were tired. You were losing your zest for life, the spark was sometimes missing from your eyes. I know that it was time for you to rest and I am happy for you, but oh it hurts to think of life without you being around, and time will have a major task, healing this wound that is left in our hearts and lives. But we give you up because we cannot do otherwise, and resolve by God’s grace to fix our hearts on the future joy, when, in a better place where your pains and struggles will be vague memories of a distant past, we will hold and cherish you again with the ecstatic recognition that this time, it will be forever.
May God hasten that day!
Sleep
Lenworth Frankson
If you have suffered from serious lack of sleep or insomnia, you will know what that foggy-headed, slow motion, lethargic feeling is like. Not only will you feel sluggish but your ability to concentrate, think, react and recall information will be greatly diminished. Your entire body feels as though it is working in slow motion and even though you might attempt to correct the problems by ingesting some type of stimulant like sugar loaded caffeinated beverages, the problem is still there, and your body fights and struggles to cope. All these reactions are in some way related to our brain function and the real antidote or solution to the problem is sleep. Sleep is necessary and vital for our brain and body to function properly and the lack of it will lead to poor performance and even memory loss.
The reason why we sleep for so long, remains a mystery. Most of what we do know about it comes from understanding it backwards: though we don’t know why we sleep, we do know that when we don’t sleep, our health will soon suffer. Like refueling a car or taking a drink of water, it’s thought that sleep refreshes your body and helps to restore the energy that you’ve used up during the day. Dr. Neil B. Kavey, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City said that “ sleep is the time when your body is able to do repair work ”
When we sleep our muscle tissue is rebuilt and restored, growth hormones are secreted (this is important for kids but also for rebuilding tissue in adults) and mental energy is restored. Because sleep is your body’s time to repair, not getting enough of it can impair your immune system and leave you less able to fight off diseases. You may also feel irritable and have poor memory, poor concentration and mood swings. You’re more likely to feel angry, pessimistic and sad and your coordination, reaction time and judgment may all be negatively affected, which, of course, is particularly dangerous while driving or operating a machine.
This is a major concern because a poll done by the National Sleep Foundation’s indicated that 75 percent of the individuals who participated said they experienced symptoms of sleep problems including difficulty falling asleep, waking up during the night and experiencing fatigue during waking hours, or snoring.
If you do experience some of these symptoms, you may want to consider the following tips for a sound night’s sleep:
• Exercise daily (but not too close to bedtime, as this could result in you not wanting to sleep)
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
• Keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark.
• Drink a cup of relaxing tea, like chamomile or mint.
• Do not drink a lot of water just before going to bed.
• Have your last meal at least five hours before bedtime.
• Massage your feet.
• Stretch a bit before you lie down.
• Once you are in bed, listen to soft relaxing religious music and meditate on God’s goodness and his love for you.
Psalm 139:17,18 reads:
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
Entertaining thoughts like these are relaxing and comforting.
The Brain Never Sleeps
It was once thought that being awake was the natural state of the brain, and that during sleep the brain would take a rest and “shut down,” so to speak. But according to the Harvard Medical School, the brain is always in an active state whether the body is sleeping or awake (specific groups of brain structures control the body’s functions at different times).
We Need Sleep to Survive
It should be easy to see that sleep is an absolute necessity and several studies have been done which demonstrate the truth of this. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), while rats normally live for two to three years, those deprived of all sleep only live about three weeks, and those deprived of REM sleep (the stage of sleep when we dream and during which it’s thought brain regions used in learning are stimulated) survive only about five weeks on average. At the same time, the rats developed abnormally low body temperatures and sores on their tails and paws. Researchers believe the sores indicate a sluggish immune system and suggest just how detrimental sleep deprivation can be to the immune system of humans.
Sleep and Sickness
Most people who feel sick tend to feel tired during that period of time. While fighting off infections our immune systems produce powerful chemicals called cytokines that make us sleepy. It’s thought that this is the body’s way of helping us to fall asleep, during which time the body is able to conserve energy and other resources that the immune system needs to fight the infection.
How Much Sleep Do We Need?
It’s generally recommended that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. The NIH gives these additional recommendations:
• Infants generally require about 16 hours a day.
• Teenagers need about nine hours on average.
• Some people may need as few as five hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each night.
• Women may need several more hours of sleep than usual during the first three months of pregnancy.
If you’ve been sleep deprived for several days, you will create a “sleep debt” that will need to be repaid, meaning that you’ll need to sleep longer than usual just to function normally and feel rested.
The fact of the matter is that most people are so busy working and worrying about everyday duties, difficulties, trials, deadlines, debts and challenges that they end up going to bed late, only get up the following morning to continue this lifestyle. It is a sad and pitiful situation because they have allowed the cares of this world to deprive them of sleep. Sometimes we act as if twenty four hours are not enough and there is no time to sleep because there is so much to be done.
However, if we look at how Jesus lived we will see a contrast to our lifestyle. The Bible tells us that Jesus said to his apostles on one occasion
… Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: ….(Mark 6:31)
The remaining portion of the verse explains why,
… for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. (Mark 6:31)
Jesus saw the need for resting and he instructed his disciples to do so. Christ also lived what He taught. We ought not to be so busy and engulfed in this life’s duties, responsibilities and goals that we have little time to rest or sleep. Our Savior lived a busy life but he was temperate in all things.
Have you ever wondered how Jesus was able to sleep in a ship during a raging storm?
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? Mark 4:37-40
Our daily duties, work and responsibilities are nothing compared to what Jesus had to deal with daily, yet he found time to rest. There is a deeper and more important lesson for us to learn here. Notice that Jesus was able to go to sleep in a boat during a storm. The relationship and faith that he had in and with his Father enabled him to sleep even during difficult and unusual circumstances. Nothing worried him, he trusted fully in his father’s care. When we look at Christ we fall very short of the mark, but this is the kind of relationship that we must have with God. We are too busily engaged in the cares of this life. We are so taken up and busy with them that we often deprive ourselves of necessary sleep.
Improving brain function
The findings of a new study showed that a good night’s sleep can improve our brain function and memory. I have a strong belief that most people, including myself, are not getting adequate sleep. This is evidenced by the fact that we have such poor memories. There was a time when people would tell stories and share information solely from memory. All the important stuff was memorized. Today we no longer rely on our brain, but rather we use computers and cool gadgets to store most of the info we need. Is this because our memories are failing, or is it that we have more to remember now than in days gone by?
One study that was published in the journal, Neuroscience , involved 12 college-aged individuals who were taught a sequence of skilled finger movements (similar to a piano scale), then tested on their ability to remember them after a 12-hour period of wakefulness, or sleep. The results showed that after sleeping there were improvements in the participants’ motor skill performance. Dr Matthew Walker, director of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s Sleep and Neuro-imaging Laboratory, said,
“When you’re asleep, it seems as though you are shifting memory to more efficient storage regions within the brain. Consequently, when you awaken, memory tasks can be performed both more quickly and accurately and with less stress and anxiety.”
Interestingly, when a person learns a new skill, the memories are vulnerable until they are “solidified” in the brain. It appears that sleeping plays a key role in this process, which may explain why infants, who are constantly learning new skills, require so much more sleep than adults.
Likewise, stroke patients and other people who have suffered brain injuries may also benefit from increased amounts of sleep as part of their rehabilitation program.
“Sleeping on it” has long been one of the best pieces of advice when faced with a difficult decision or a complex problem. A good night’s sleep has a way of helping us sort through our options and identify solutions that were invisible to us the day before. Exactly how sleep works its problem-solving technique is more of a mystery, but it’s well known that getting enough high-quality sleep can improve your memory.
Sleep and High Blood Pressure
People who sleep five hours or less a night may be at higher risk of developing high blood pressure or worsening already high blood pressure. This danger even exists for people who sleep six hours a night, although that risk is not as high as it is for people who sleep five hours or less a night. It’s thought that sleep helps your blood regulate stress hormones and helps your nervous system remain healthy. Over time, a lack of sleep could hurt your body’s ability to regulate stress hormones, leading to high blood pressure. Therefore, sleeping seven to eight hours a night may play a role in the treatment and prevention of high blood pressure.
Teenagers need more sleep
A study done on the sleeping habits of children by the University of South Australia, on more than four thousand people between the ages of 9-18 suggested strongly that teenagers who were not obese had the most sleep, while overweight teenagers had the least sleep.
Overweight teenagers had an average of 20 minutes less sleep than non-obese teenagers during the week and that could extend to an hour less on the weekend. Professor Olds who led the study said, “ It seems very likely that it’s the low sleep duration that’s contributing to obesity, probably through various hormonal mechanisms that we know are associated with sleep deprivation”
The National Sleep Foundation says that teenagers should be getting around 9-9.5 hours of sleep but many don’t, even though there may be valid reasons for this. Teenagers undergo changes in their biology with mood changes, growth spurts and changes to their sleep patterns. They may sleep all day or find it hard to get up in the morning. When they become adolescents the natural circadian rhythm (a built in self sustained pattern repeated approximately every 24hours) is altered with the consequence that it can be difficult to get to sleep. Researchers say this could be because melatonin (which helps sleep) is released later.
Now they need to sleep more – up to ten hours. The amount of hours they sleep decreases from around the age of 5 when they get around 11 hours. However with the onset of puberty and adolescence sleeping time increases. Once adolescence is over, the sleep pattern changes again to adult sleeping times, waking earlier and sleeping less. Overall it is a difficult time for teenagers as they need to sleep more, but typically find it difficult to get to sleep at the usual time. This means they are sleep deprived as they still have to get up at early hours to go to school or sport.
Sleep deprivation is linked to a number of side effects. Twenty percent of road deaths in America are said to be caused by micro-sleeps which are caused by sleep deprivation. Around half of these types of deaths are of 16-25 year olds.
During sleep we have Rapid Eye Movements (REM) indicating that we are dreaming and REM starts to occur 70-100 minutes after falling asleep. One study found that if high school students had the opportunity to sleep at school around half of them went into REM sleep within a few minutes. Those students that work are even more tired.
The consequences of untreated sleep disorders are large and they are associated with numerous, serious medical illnesses, including:
• High blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Psychiatric problems, including depression and other mood disorders
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Mental impairment
• Fetal and childhood growth retardation
• Injury from accidents
• Disruption of bed partner’s sleep quality
• Poor quality of life
Not sleeping enough and not sleeping well is a serious matter and there is quite a price to pay. Chronic sleep deprivation, for whatever reason, significantly affects your health, memory, performance, safety, and pocket. Sleep deprivation is a commonplace occurrence in our modern culture and every day there seems to be twice as much work and half as much time to complete it in. This results in either extended periods of wakefulness or a decrease in sleep over an extended period of time.
Some people may like to believe that they can train their bodies to not require as much sleep as they once did but this belief is false. Sleep is needed and necessary to regenerate certain parts of the body, especially the brain, so that it may continue to function optimally. After periods of extended wakefulness or reduced sleep neurons may begin to malfunction, visibly affecting a person’s behavior, judgment and memory. There is only one remedy for lack of sleep, and that is getting adequate sleep. The simple truth is stated this way in the bible:
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep (Psalm 127:1,2)
The New Testament Order
The evangelical order, the Christian and New Testament order, is Christ: the living present Christ, “all and in all.”
The Christian and New Testament order is God in Christ the Builder of His church:—not Moses, nor some men in the place and name of Moses.
The Christian and New Testament order is Christ Himself in Person through and by the Holy Spirit the Head of every man personally and individually: —not collectively through a centralized hierarchy.
It stands written in the New Testament as the statement of the New Testament order—
1. That by the “one Spirit” it is “the same God which worketh all in all.”
2. That “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to “every man:” and given to “every man to profit withal.”
3. That “all these” gifts, manifestations and admonitions—”All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every man severally (individually, personally, separately) as He will.”—As He will: not as some president, or committee will.
4. That, as the Builder of His own church which is the body of Christ “God hath set the members every one of them in the body (the church) as it hath pleased Him.” As it hath pleased Him—not as it may please some committee, or “organized work.”
The Christian and New Testament order is the order of the Kingdom of God, where God in Christ by the Holy Spirit is the one King, the one Lord, and the one Sovereign, in and over each individual— “the kingdom of God is within you:” and in and over the Church of Christ which is built together by God “for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” ….
This Church of Christ is organized from Him and by Him, through the Holy Spirit alone. Ephesians 4:16-17; Colossians 2:19; 1 Corinthians 12:18.
According to this Christian and New Testament order, whosoever belongs to Christ by ‘personal faith, in that very thing belongs to the Church of Christ “Which is His body,” the “Church of the First-born which are written in heaven.”
A.T. Jones – An Appeal for Evangelical Christianity
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