Peace is a commodity in short supply these days—wouldn’t you agree? While we hear a lot of talk about peace, we recognize that there is precious little of it in our world and in our lives. How about you? Are you a little short on peace right now? Have you been spending too much time in worry mode? Has fear seized your mind and heart, keeping you awake at night?

I’m talking about the names of Jesus—the titles and authority he has been given by the Father. Names that show his power and his authority. And one of those names is Prince of Peace, which we read in Isaiah 9. A prince is someone who is a leader and has influence and authority. Therefore, the Prince of Peace can bestow peace on a person or situation.

If you have become a believer in Jesus Christ, then you have access to the Prince of Peace. That means that there is no need for you to be held captive by worry or fear, because you can claim the name of Jesus—the Prince of Peace—and he will give you peace. Ephesians 2:14 says that Jesus himself is our peace.

Jesus said that the peace he gives us is not just temporary peace like you might find in the world. Jesus said it’s peace that only he can give, and Paul wrote to the church in Philippi that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

So, why are you living in worry and fear? Do you see how useless and unnecessary it is for you as a child of God because you can claim the name of Jesus, your Prince of Peace. And you do that by faith. You believe that Jesus is your peace, and you claim that peace as your own. You don’t have to feel it; you just have to believe that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and he has peace for you.

I would suggest that when you find yourself engulfed by worry or fear, you simply start repeating what the Bible says is true, that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is your peace. Resist the enemy who wants to keep you mired in doubt and worry. Run him off—out of your mind—by repeating the truth that Jesus is your peace, and then repeat that as often as you need to throughout the day. This is how you claim the name of Jesus.

I’m talking about the names—or titles—of Jesus that we can claim for whatever need we’re facing. For example, did you know that Jesus is your heavenly Advocate? First John 2:1 says: “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” An advocate is someone who supports you, who pleads on your behalf. What an incredible truth that as believers in Jesus Christ, we can claim this name of Jesus, that he is our Advocate with the Father.

Scripture tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God’s throne and he is there to intercede for you, to plead on your behalf. That means that you have the privilege of going right to God’s throne in prayer, and Jesus is there to plead your case.

The Bible tells us that Satan is accusing us night and day before the Father (Revelation 12:10). Do you get the picture here? Satan is accusing you, but Jesus is at the right hand of God advocating for you. It’s like a scene from a courtroom, but the verdict is already determined. Satan can accuse all he wants, but he can’t win, because we have an Advocate, Jesus Christ.

Could it be that you are now facing some failure on your part—something you did or said or failed to do that you know was wrong, was sinful? You know that you have disobeyed God in some way and your conscience is really bothering you.

But what do you do? You go to your Advocate, to Jesus in prayer and you claim his name—his authority—as your Advocate to plead your case to the Father for forgiveness. Just believe what the Bible says—you have an advocate with the Father when you sin, and Jesus, your Advocate, has all authority given to him in heaven and in earth. So, do you think he will win your case for you? You can be totally confident that if you confess your sin, your Heavenly Father will forgive you because you come to him through Jesus, your Advocate.

So, claim the name today of Jesus, your Advocate, and know the freedom that comes through forgiveness and cleansing.

What are you facing today that has you puzzled? Our lives are full of decision points, forks in the road where the choice we make will have some significant impact in our lives. How do you make good decisions? How can you be sure that you’re choosing the right path?

Well, for those of us who have placed our trust in Jesus as our Savior, we have access to him and the power of his name. And one of the most wonderful names given to Jesus is found in Isaiah 9:6, which says “he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” In that one verse we have four of the incredible names given to our Lord, and at the top of the list is Wonderful Counselor.

What is the role of a counselor? It is to give guidance and trustworthy advice, right? So, as you’re facing some important decisions today, have you gone for counsel to Jesus, or are you just trying to figure it out on your own? His name is Wonderful Counselor—the best Counselor. Have you claimed the name of Jesus for the guidance that you need?

I well remember some years ago when I was facing a dilemma in my life, one that looked potentially dire and where the wrong decision could be catastrophic. I knew I needed good advice, so what did I do? I called my best friend, who just wasn’t available to me at that moment. I kept trying to reach her but to no avail, and I actually became irritated at her for not being there when I needed her. And as I paced the floor in frustration, trying to reach my friend, so clearly the Lord reminded me that Jesus is my Wonderful Counselor. He is the one I needed to turn to first and fast, because his guidance is perfect.

So, I stopped and claimed the name of Jesus—Wonderful Counselor—and took the whole situation to him in prayer. He calmed my spirit and assured me that he would guide my steps through this situation and I could trust him. After all, he’s not like any other counselor—those who can be mistaken; instead he is my wonderful, perfect Counselor.

I want to encourage you today, as you’re facing some decision point, some difficult situation, to first seek counsel from Jesus. Claim his name of Wonderful Counselor and call on him for the guidance you need. He’s always available, as a Christian you have instant access to his presence—no waiting around—and he is indeed a Wonderful Counselor in whom you can totally trust. Claim that name for yourself today.

The Bible makes it clear that the name of Jesus is to be honored and respected above all other names. In Philippians 2:9 we read:

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 is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The President of the United States is called President, Leader of the Free World, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Head of a Political Party—and other titles that are given to him because he was elected President. Those titles represent his authority in various areas. Similarly, but in a much more important way, Jesus has been given names by God the Father that represent his authority, and as Christ-followers, we have access to the power of his name.

So, this week I want to focus on five of the many names in the Bible that describe Jesus and I want to encourage you as a Christ-follower to claim his name for whatever need you are facing—to “claim the name.”

In Isaiah 7:14 we read that the Messiah will be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” This is a name of Jesus you can claim.

This means that in the midst of whatever you’re facing, you stop and claim the truth that Jesus is “God with you.” You are not alone. He will never leave you or forsake you. It means that in the middle of your pity party, when you are feeling sorry for yourself because you’re facing something all alone and you feel as though nobody cares, you can claim the name of Immanuel and know that God is with you.

For those times when you feel forsaken or abandoned, when all your friends seem to have vanished, when the person closest to you doesn’t seem to understand what you’re going through, learn to tap into the power in the name of Jesus Immanuel—God with you. It’s true, but you must claim it for yourself—claim the name of Jesus Immanuel today and be encouraged because God is with you.

You know, when I get to heaven one of the first people I want to talk with is the Apostle Paul, because I want to ask him if he was serious about some of those verses he wrote. In particular, the one which says, "Be anxious for nothing" (Philippians 4:6), and this one we're looking at today, "Be kind to everyone.” That verse is found in 2 Timothy 2:24, which says, And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

As they would say in the old west, that's a "mighty tall order," don't you agree? If we're kind to everyone, that would include strangers, people who irritate us, people who don't do what they're supposed to do, people who are slow, people who don't appreciate any kindness we show them and never return it, people who don't deserve our kindness.

You know, it's no great thing to be kind to people who you like, who are kind in return. Even the hardest heart can usually do that. Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? (Matthew 5:46). But be kind to EVERYONE? Is that possible?

I remember an occasion where a fellow believer was most unkind to a certain person. The reason was simply because she didn't like certain types of people because of prejudices from childhood and from some unpleasant experiences of her own. So, when this person walked in the door, she truly was unkind to her. However, moments later when another person came in, more to her liking, she was very gracious and kind to her.

It bothered me a great deal to see this happening within the Body of Christ; and yet you and I know it happens very frequently. We're kind to those who suit us, but often unkind to those who, for whatever reason, we don't feel inclined to be kind to.

It wasn't many days after this that I found myself doing the same kind of thing. I was checking into a hotel and the clerk was not efficient. She was taking far too long and was very nonchalant about everything and it irritated me. After all, I thought, I'm the customer here. She's inconveniencing me. Why can't she just do her job and get me checked in without all this unnecessary delay?

And as I stood there, though I did not say anything inappropriate, the look on my face, the tone of my voice, and my whole body language sent the message loud and clear, and it was not a kind message. I could sense that she was aware of my unkind attitude.

As I walked away, the Holy Spirit let me have it. Why couldn't I have been kind to her? All it required of me was a different look, a few nice words, and I could have shown her some kindness. But just because she didn't perform the way I thought she should and I was inconvenienced one slight bit, I was unkind.

As is so often the case, I was irritated because my rights were violated, my schedule was very slightly interrupted, my plans were minimally delayed.

Then I realized that perhaps the people I find it most difficult to be kind to are strangers, people I don't know and with whom I have very brief interactions. Sometimes it's simply because my mind is so preoccupied with other things, and I just don't take time to be kind. Sometimes it's because I don't like what they're doing. But whatever the causes, there are no legitimate excuses. The servant of the Lord must be kind to everyone.

I was reading in Mark 6 where Jesus was trying to get away with his disciples to a solitary place to rest. As it was, they couldn't even find time to eat because so many people were coming and going. So, they got in the boat to escape the crowds, but that didn't work. The crowd followed them, and when the boat landed, they were there already, waiting for them. When Jesus saw them, we read that he "had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things" (Mark 6:34).

I thought, “Lord, you're amazing. You were exhausted,

What Kingdom Equity are you wasting? Kingdom Equity includes the good things—our gifts and abilities and skills and knowledge—as well as the hard things, the heartaches, the failures.

What part of your past—or your present—have you put in the category of “Not good” or “Not fair” or “Shameful” and therefore tried to hide it from others as well as yourself? Or you’ve let it sit there so long that bitter roots are growing in your heart and those bitter roots are causing trouble and defiling you and others. Or you’ve allowed yourself to live in the lie that God can’t really use you like he uses other people because of your past.

The thing about this kind of Kingdom Equity—the kind that is filled with sorrow and heartaches and failure—is that it’s very difficult to see how God can use it when we’re in the middle of it. It’s usually only in hindsight that we can say, as Joseph did, “God meant it to me for good.” So that means that when we’re in the middle, we have to walk by faith and not by sight. We have to decide if we’re really going to trust God or not—against our feelings and our emotions.

Some time ago I was suddenly faced with a situation that was potentially very harmful. And that situation was not resolved for almost an entire year. More than any other time in my life, my trust in God was tested. I had doubts; I certainly had fears; I wanted to run away and forget it all. My faith was tested. I wish I had come through better than I did; there were days that I did not have the victory. But in the end, by God’s grace, I came through as gold refined in the fire. I now have much more sympathy and empathy with those who are in the midst of a struggle than I ever had before. It’s Kingdom Equity that God allowed in my life, to be used for his glory.

When we allow God to use all his Kingdom Equity in us, it brings meaning to every aspect of our lives. Nothing is wasted, and we find that the pains and hurts of our lives can be used for good, as well as all that experience you’ve gained in your working world, the talents you developed when you were young, the skills you’ve added through your life. It’s all Kingdom Equity, and God is looking for a return on his investment in you.

What is it in your life that is your greatest sorrow or regret? Did you know that even those things God has allowed in your life, and they can be used for good? I’m talking about Kingdom Equity--what God invests in us and how he wants a return on his investments.

Please understand I am not saying that God is the author of all these difficult things; God never condones sin or evil and it is never from God. But our God is so great that he never wastes anything in our lives, even our sorrows or our sins or abuse we’ve suffered, or our failures.

We are so prone to say, “God is good” when something favorable has happened to us. A friend just got a job after a few months of unemployment. We say, “God is good.” A baby is born without any problems; we say, “God is good.” A journey is traveled without any accidents; we say, “God is good.” We got money back from our income tax, and we declare, “God is good.” We got a report back from the doctor and the lump is benign, and we shout, “God is good.”

Are those signs of God’s goodness? Absolutely. But what about the hard times and the disappointments and the bad news? Are we just as quick to affirm that God is good—all the time? When Job’s wife suggested that he curse God and die, he said, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10)

Whatever has happened to you, is happening to you, or will happen to you can become instruments that God can use in your life. I’ve often told how I wandered for ten years away from God and his plan for my life. That wasn’t what God wanted for me; it was my own sinful choices. But I can tell you that I’m better able to help and encourage others because I know what it’s like to live with the consequences of my sinful choices. That means I have understanding and empathy for others that I probably would not have had without those ten years of disobedience.

God doesn’t waste anything in our lives. He uses everything that has happened to us as a means to display his glory. All of that junk, the stuff you would have eliminated from your life story if you had written it—all of it can become instruments of God’s grace to others.

We don’t usually think of the difficult things in our lives as investments, do we? Can it be true that the hard things you’ve gone through, the difficulties you’ve encountered, the heartaches you’ve known—even your sins and failures—can be seen as God’s investment in you? How can that be Kingdom Equity?

Well, the truth is that it is often these hard things that drive us to know God, that keep us humble, that show us our total inadequacy and force us to depend on God. God is never the author of evil, but he has this marvelous way of turning what someone meant to us for harm into something that he uses for good, as he did with Joseph. And they include things such as:

Your childhood experience. If you were deprived of what you needed as a child—love or protection or security or safety—any of those basics and instead you endured some suffering—that is Kingdom Equity.

Your health issues. Maybe you’ve faced some real health fears—that is Kingdom Equity.

Your financial hardships. You’ve lost a job, and you’ve faced month-ends without enough money to pay your bills—that is Kingdom Equity.

Broken relationships. That marriage that fell apart, or that friend or family member who is estranged or distant from you—again, Kingdom Equity.

Disappointments in people. That adult child who has left the church and the truths you taught him or her about God. That friend who betrayed you. That boss who fired you—more Kingdom Equity.

Significant losses. That parent who died—or mate or child or close friend—Kingdom Equity.

Sins from your past. Yes, even those things of which you are ashamed, those times when you chose to live in sin and stray far from God—Kingdom Equity.

All of these are Kingdom Equity that God wants to use for good in your life. That means that none of these things are meaningless. God doesn’t waste anything—not even sorrows and heartaches.

What are you doing with your Kingdom Equity? Kingdom Equity is what God has invested in you to use for his glory. It comes in two forms, the first of which is:

Kingdom Equity of Gifts and Abilities

God invests equity in us through our gifts, our talents, our skills, the things we’ve learned, our education, our years of simply living life! For example, a great deal of my experience in the business world was to make presentations. That experience was planned by God to teach me how to make a presentation and think on my feet, which was part of the good works he planned in advance for me to do.

I have a friend who has begun a ministry to widows in Africa, teaching them how to make things that they could sell to support their families. They have to use treadle sewing machines that work without electricity and guess how she learned to sew as a young girl. On a Singer treadle machine. So, she can teach them how to sew on a treadle machine. That’s Kingdom Equity that God is now using.

What about the skills you’ve acquired through your life. How are you using that Kingdom Equity for God? He didn’t invest that experience, that talent, that gift in you just for your enjoyment. He expects a return on his investment.

Paul wrote to Timothy: “For this reason I remind you to fan into a flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). Fan into a flame the gifts God has invested in you. Improve them, enlarge them, expand them. Get better at doing what you do.

I look back on the 39 years I’ve had this radio ministry and I see how God has given me abilities and skills that I never dreamed were in me. That’s because he promises that if we use what he has invested in us, he will invest more in us. The parable of the talents teaches us this principle.

God has invested in all his children and he’s looking for a return on his investment. Are you using what he has invested in you to bring glory to him?

Do you know what Kingdom Equity is? A friend of mine introduced me to this term not long ago, and it has really caught my attention. I’m sure you know what equity is. For example, if you bought a house, you invested money in that house, and the amount you invested is your equity in it. And as we make investments, we are doing so with the hope that our investment will grow in value, and we will receive a profit from our investment.

Well, God has invested Kingdom Equity in all his children because our purpose here on this earth is to bring glory to God by doing the good things he prepared in advance for us to do:

Ephesians 2:10: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

If you are born from above, God has predetermined your list of good works he wants you to do, and he knows what resources and talents and gifts and experiences you will need to do those good works. So, from the beginning of your days he has been investing in you what you will need to do those good works.

This Kingdom Equity comes in two different forms:

The gifts and abilities and talents and opportunities and education and experiences you have been given that will be needed to do Kingdom work.

The difficulties and hardships and troubles and failures you go through that teach you to trust and know God like nothing else can do.

Whether you are aware of it or not, God has been making investments in you and he expects a return on his investment. He expects you to multiply your resources, your gifts, and to use them for his glory. So, the question for today is: Have you overlooked those investments God has made in you? Or have you wasted them on yourself instead of on the Kingdom? It is Kingdom Equity, and you will give an account to God as to your stewardship of the investments God has put in you.