Is it not the leading and the learning of those who walk as disciples that we are to pattern ourselves after the example of the only begotten Son? And did not the only begotten Son of the Father everlasting, who made Himself the least, not lead from the front with these three great priorities? First and foremost, that YOUR name be hallowed? That YOUR kingdom come? That YOUR will be done, on earth as it is in heaven? And right at the top of the list, as the first and foremost and supreme priority, is it not that YOUR name be hallowed? That YOUR name be preeminent and prominent in all things, at all times, and in all ways. Not HIS own name, but His Father’s. Not OUR name. Not MAN’s name.

     For is it not written that He made Himself least and of NO REPUTATION? And did He not incline Himself to this humble station so that in all things, in everything that He did, that YOUR name may be hallowed. Which is why He never answered His accusers who accused Him without cause. Because then He would defend His reputation. But He chose to have no name and no reputation even unto the point of death. And for that reason, now the very least, being He who had no name and was with no reputation, is now the greatest (Philippians 2:8-9). “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names”.

     Which is not the same as for all those who do things in the NAME of Christ so that THEIR names be hallowed. Who therefore are those who do not follow Christ in spirit and in truth. For all those who claim to follow Christ, if they truly followed Christ, they would do as He did, which is what “to follow” means. Which is to do all things in a manner and pattern that in everything the name of the Father be hallowed. They who use the LORD’s name for their own renown and gain are like the thief on the cross. And does the Ten Commandments not state plainly that thou shall not steal? Have they not stolen a glory which belongs unto another?

     They have become a stumbling block to those who they have been called to point TO the name above all names. Like the law POINTS to Him, as a light unto the world, we are all to point the hearts and eyes of man TO HIM, and not to ourselves. For if we point them to ourselves, we have missed the mark. We have missed the calling and the faith and the hope that is perfect love. And we have become a stumbling block. And the word is clear in what it says about being a stumbling block (Luke 17:2).

     They have given themselves names so that man should look to them and not God. So that they may be famous and have a reputation. That they may be the greatest, not the least. For it is Christ alone who will give us our kingdom names, when the time is right. It is not for ourselves to give ourselves a kingdom name. For whilst the first Adam gave every living thing its name before the fall, it is the last Adam who saved us from the fall who will give us all our new names in the kingdom of God (Revelation 2:17). It is to His glory that He be the one to give us all our new name. And only then will we be known by our own name. For it is not our time and season, but HIS.

     In all our labour of love, which is the greatest of these three, being faith, hope and love, our lives are to become the least so that He may become the greatest, so that HIS NAME may be hallowed. For it is only when people look to Him that they become what they look at. And if we make man look to man instead, which is to make ourselves an idol unto man, that is what he will become. Which is to become that which falls short of the glory of God. Which is to be like man, instead of like Him, like Father like son. For He has called us all higher, to rise from the rubble and ruin of the fallen nature which seeks a name and a reputation for itself, being one of the three pits the fallen nature would ensnare our souls with: being the pride of life (1 John 2:16). For is it not written, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” ‭‭(Philippians‬ ‭2:3‬)? He has called us into the resurrection glory that is available to all only through HIS NAME, which is only possible if, before anything and everything else, HIS NAME is hallowed.

     Our prayer for all those who seek their fame and the fame of THEIR NAMES instead of HIS NAME, that the grace of God wash over us all, and restore the hearts and souls and minds of all of us who are leading men to look unto themselves, unto man, that their name be hallowed, that man should be famous, that in this life that THEY should be known, where man is but a shadow of the One whose name is above all names, that Your glory and grace redirect and correct the hearts and motives of all, that like the Son who showed the way perfectly before all the sons, which was to be of NO REPUTATION that YOUR name may be hallowed (not man’s), that YOUR kingdom may come (not man’s), that YOUR will be done on earth as it is in heaven (not man’s). This we ask and pray and thank You for, for all brothers and sisters, for all of us who seek to take up our cross and follow You up the mountain, in the holy and hallowed name of Jesus, amen and amen.

      “But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.” - Matthew 23:8

     “And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.” - Matthew 23:9

     “5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 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, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.“ (Philippians 2:5-11)

     “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭13:13‬)

     “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” ‭‭(I John‬ ‭2:16‬)