The Name Above All Names

 

“When the set time had fully come, God sent His Son…” In Luke 1:31, we find that God named His son. “And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus.”  

     Jesus is not only my Savior, but He is God’s Son, named by God, and His name is above all names. 

 

The Name of Jesus 

 

Jesus!

A name above all in heaven, on and under the earth;

A name of holy worth.

A name to be exalted and uplifted;

A name given the Savior for which we were gifted.

Jesus!

A name every tongue will sing;

A name exalted as the King.

A name before which everyone will kneel;

A name before who, our fate will be sealed.

Jesus!

He is the Christ-

He is the One who paid life’s price.

Jesus!

Exalt His name!

Christ, Messiah, Jesus, Savior-

They are all One and the same.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 11/20/2025 

 

“Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place, and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ if Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 NIV  

 

 

 

God's Blueprint

I enjoy looking at house plans. I do not believe I have ever found one that I would not change. In fact, when I complete all my readjusting, the plan never looks the same; it is a complete new blueprint. 

     I also have a tendency to look at myself and want to change things either in feature or in life. Although, God made me in feature just the way I am, He did give me choices in life to make. Once I have walked into my choice, it is impossible to change the past actions. Though I have many regrets, I am so glad God still loves and walks with me. His blueprint does not need to altered, and to build the right foundation, His instructions need to be followed step-by-step.

     

God’s Blueprint For Me 

 

God planned me,

And what I would be.

He had no need to form and reform,

Mold and remold.

It’s me who questions His design-

Living to whine and pine.

 

Who am I to doubt God’s product of what I am?

I’m just what I yam.

God had no need to change a thing,

Within His creative plan.

It’s me who struggles within my walk-

Tending to rebel and balk.

God gave me form, shape, and frame.

Though I sin, I am saved and His, all-the-same.

He breathed breath into every living cell

And gave me a story to tell. 

 

God planned, for me, a purpose from the first,

And it was, for Him, I am to thirst.

I was structured to rely on Him-

To follow His plan-

To walk with Him, hand-in-hand.

Who better to trust

Than the One who is ever just-

Than the One who formed me from the dust!

 

Mary Crisp Jameson  11/17/2025

 

“The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath 

given me life.” Job 33:4 KJV 

 

 

The Penny

I thought I would do a bit of trivia today regarding the penny. 

     According to AI the penny in the United States was first minted in 1793; however, the first type of penny was the Fugio cent issued by U.S. Congress in 1787. 

     So, with the penny no longer being minted in 2025, I do not know whether to say the penny is 232 or 238 years old. What I do know is that I have picked up many pennies off the pavement over the years and been told, “Find a penny, that’s good luck!” I also remember the jars of pennies saved. Those that did this might be called a “penny pincher.” 

     Other penny sayings I remember are: 

It’s not worth a penny

It cost a pretty penny

A penny for your thoughts

I don’t have a penny to my name

A penny saved is a penny earned

     All of this trivia is really not worth “a cent,” but what is truly worth a penny and more are my “pennies from heaven.” These “pennies from heaven” are not luck but rather blessings issued from God, and whereas, the penny may cease to exist, God’s blessings never end. 

 

The Light

I am a morning person. I enjoy waking up to the light, and why shouldn’t I? God gave us the light and He is Light! He told us to walk in the light, and He gave us His word to show us light and understanding. He instructed His children to be a light. In eternity, God’s light will be a replacement for the sun.  

 

 “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis 1:3 

 “The Lord is my light…” Psalm 27:1a

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  Psalm 119:105

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding…” Psalm 119:130

 

“Let us walk in the light of the Lord.” Isaiah 2:5b

 

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come…” Isaiah 60:1a

 

“Ye are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14a

 

“Let your light so shine before men.” Matthew 5:16a

 

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world.” John 8:12a 

 

“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46 

 

“Ye are all the children of light…”  1 Thessalonians 5:5a

 

“And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light.” Revelation 22:5a

 

I praise God for the Light !

 

 

God's Love

Has anyone ever doubted God’s great love? Has anyone ever doubted that God is in control of all things? If so, take a look at Psalm 136. There are 26 verses, and all 26 verses tell me of God’s love that exists in all things. 

     I took a look at different versions and here are a few:  

 

KJV            “…His mercy endureth forever.”

NIV            “…His love endures forever.”

EGT            “…His love is eternal.” 

ESV            “…His faithful love endures forever.”

RSV            “…His steadfast love endures forever.”

TLV            “…His loving-kindness continues forever.”

MSG           “…His love never quits.” 

 

I take comfort in the fact that God created and controls all things in love for me.

Burden

When I first looked at today’s devotion about burdens, I immediately thought that, yes, I often have burdens, but am I a burden to God? If I am constantly keeping my eye on self and my problems, being a frequent whiner, then I may, indeed, see myself as a burden to God, although I know He still loves me.

     It was no co-incidence that God washed away all in the world with the flood in Noah’s day. The people had become so sinful and such a burden, God decided to make a clean sweep and start all over. 

     I do not want to be a cause of such worldly burdensome sin. God wants me to place my eyes on Him and others. By doing so, I lay my own burdens down and pick up thoughtfulness for the world around me. Philippians 2:4 says, “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” NLT 

     If I recognize that the world does not revolve around me and first, seek God and others, I will be less a burden for God. 

 

So how do I unburden myself: 

 

U nderstand life does not revolve around me

N uture relationships

B ecome more like Jesus

U nselfish behavior

R emember to seek God and others first

D o for others

E njoy life and the companionship of others 

N otice and name my blessings from God 

Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving

 Every morning calls for a prayer of thanksgiving and praise. Here is mine for today.

Lord, 

I see, in nature, Your glory and splendor.

I feel Your love, so tender.

I have a joy within my soul that You bestow

As, onward, I travel and wherever I go.

Your goodness, I know.

For Your mighty grace 

Is given throughout my daily pace. 

Lord, 

I desire to slow my walk 

And, Us, more often to talk. 

Calm my spirit and give me quiet 

To make You my morning, noon, and nighttime diet.

Lord, 

With fulness of heart, I rejoice,

As I make You my companion choice. 

You, O Lord, are the One I turn to when I am sad or mourn 

Or when I am torn.

It’s You I seek when I am troubled and in doubt,

For You’re the One who works all things out.

Lord, 

I thank You

For being my glue,

For helping me through,

And for being true-

As I, on earth, pass through.

                         …Amen!

 

Begin and End

God is the Alpha and Omega- The First and the Last - The Beginning and the End!

 

As far as a beginning and ending, God wants me to: 

 

Begin a new life with Him ---End my sinning 

  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new us is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV 

 

Begin to love                  ---End any hate

     “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."  

     Matthew 5:44 NIV

 

Begin giving                    ---End my taking

     “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly of under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 

     2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV

 

I have choices in creating an ending and a beginning, and I am so glad God gives me a desire to choose Him and His way. 

 

 

The Promise

My devotional today stated that a promise is valuable only if the one making it is trustworthy. I can agree with that. 

      I was raised to follow-up whenever I made a promise to do something. In fact, the definition of a promise is a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen. 

     Have you ever had a friend tell you he would do something, but it never got done? What a disappointment! I was told one time in a program I was involved to “not expect and you would not be disappointed.” That is true, but it takes away from the hope of completion. 

     So, what should I do when I make a promise?

 

P roceed with what I stated I would do

R ise up and getting started with what I promised to do

O vercome any desire to not follow-through with the promise

M ake my promise happen

I mplement a plan to compete the promise 

S et in to get it done

E nd the job- in other words, complete the promise! 

 

     What I need to remember is the example Jesus set when He made a promise. He did not just say He came to save. He actually died on the cross to save. He didn’t just say He would rise the 3^rd day. He arose the 3^rd day. He didn’t just say He was going away to prepare a place for me. He has actually prepared a permanent place for me. I trust in that. Jesus didn’t just say He would send a Helper. He actually sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit, and He live within. Jesus keeps His promises!