Label Belief

Matthew 16: ¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

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“Mud” was the name of the person I was mad at. They could do no right in my eyes and I could not believe in anything they said. “Smart” was the name I gave a rising star and I listened to every word out of their mouths.

• There have been times I labeled people.
• There have been times I have given a person a name.
• There have been times I put someone in a category and treated them in that fashion.

How I perceived people was how I treated them. If I perceived them to be “higher” than me then I treated them with one level of respect, the opposite went for those I felt were “beneath” me. In my labeling practice I soon labeled GOD based on my lack of faith. HE wasn’t “GOD” to me rather “god” just like everything else.

• JESUS deserves the highest label I can give HIM.
• JESUS deserves to be called what HE is, namely GOD almighty.
• JESUS deserves my trust, faith and obedience due to HIS supremacy over all.

Treating JESUS as common was my problem. Yes HE is a brother and a friend but HE is GOD. HE tells me to stop labeling people HE made and get them to focus on HIM who can raise them from the dead. The higher the label I can place on JESUS the stronger my belief will be in HIM.

• What do you call GOD?
• Is your lack of faith blocking you from placing HIM above everything in your life?
• Can you stop labeling those around you and give them over to GOD today?