What is in a Name???
This morning when I woke up, I began thinking about and praying about what God wanted me to write about today. It was so important, that I saved this draft, and continued praying over it, and now, the next day, am finally completing the entry. There were so many things that came to my mind, heart and spirit. The one thing that stood out was the word NAME. What is in our name?
When we are named, it means something. Last night I was watching a movie with David, and the person had no name. The other day we saw another movie, and a person had no name. I began to wonder what God is trying to teach us through this. I do not believe in coincidence.
NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME
NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME
I have called you by my NAME and you are MINE says the Lord.
As I began to seek Him more on this, what I received was simple. Our name that we are given is important. We must understand our identity. But, the name in us is even more important. The name within us, JESUS, is the most powerful NAME that has ever existed, and that will. As Christ is, so are WE in this world.
This is a command from the LORD to be like He was when He walked the earth, by tapping into HIM, and learning His ways. The Lord says, He will keep those in perfect peace whose mind is fixed on HIM. Does that mean we will never ever have a negative thought? Not necessarily, because we know the enemy attacks the mind, trying to keep us in FEAR, or put us back there when we have chosen FAITH.
When Christ died on the CROSS, the bad name that we HAD was resurrected to a GOOD name! Hallelujah!!!!! He took everything that could ever come against us and take us away from God onto HIM. All sin does is temporarily separate us from GOD. The sin itself is not where the destruction is, it is worshiping the sin, letting it continue to wound us, and damage our relationship with God. It is what comes with the sin, that is the biggest problem!
The LORD works in us and through us according to a measure of FAITH. People have said, “Oh I wish I had your faith.” My response is, “Ask God to do it through you.” Because when GOD does something, HE succeeds! The ONLY thing GOD cannot do is FAIL!
Even Jesus went through Heavy persecution. So why would we not go through it to? Yes, our logical mind can absolutely get in the way. This is something God is really working on us with. We now have a new view. We have HIS view. Does this mean we never get affected or wounded? Not necessarily, but when we do, we get convicted immediately and we repent of our involvement.
How many of you LOVE people? I do, I absolutely LOVE people so much. I have a desire for ALL people to come and experience the LOVE and GLORY of GOD. It is something that GOD put there. It is not in any way a religious spirit, though I did have one before. I was all about people coming to know the religion, not the one at the core of it. Thank God for HIS amazing Grace to help me learn, and grow in Him.
This is an excerpt from Romeo and Juliet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Juliet.
‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy;–
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title:–Romeo, doff thy name;
And for that name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.
Romeo.
I take thee at thy word:
Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptiz’d;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
http://www.englishforums.com/English/NameWilliamShakespeare/bqnqx/post.htm
Note: She speaks of the NAME as her enemy, just as the name devil, or satan is ours. Though he cannot be reborn, those who are captive by him can. We must PRAY for them. We also must be loving when we encounter them, by God’s command. Love our enemies. I also think it is awesome that he speaks of baptism after a new name. 🙂
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For years, I denied that God had plans for me, and I ran from Him. I ran to so many things. By the time I was done running to people, places, and things, of THIS world, GOD was still there, waiting. He was ready to show me HIS world, but I wasn’t as ready. I was the prodigal daughter, and He blessed me with so much. Guess what I did? I squandered it. Because I had so much in me that was broken and wounded. Thank God He forgives when we say I am sorry and mean it.
My NAME was damaged to me, it was awful. In fact, the name I went by as a kid, I changed it because I was tired of being a kid. Also because I hated my name and ultimately myself. I did not understand how disrespectful that was to God. I made that choice, not consulting God. In fact, I was rebelling against HIM at the time. I went by that name from age 18 to 34. Then, God was dealing with me one day on names. In fact, He was dealing with all of us.
He showed me that He named me, and that I must know who I am in HIM. I am Eleanor, which means “Fire of God.” See, I always thought it was just an old lady name, But God. He showed my husband that He is DAVID which we know in scripture is a mighty KING who conquered Goliath. As he begins to see himself this way, GOD is moving greatly. Sarah Elizabeth’s first name means Princess. She is a princess of God. All GLORY and honor to the LORD. We are grateful for HIS redemption.
I was watching the movie “Titanic.” It has always been a favorite of mine. The scene that was on was where the mother is speaking to Rose about their name. Specifically abt the fact that the debts that they have are hidden by a Good name, and that name is the only card they have to play. I thought wow, if Jesus had not died for us, we would never have a good name. It was very humbling indeed.
This morning, while going through the “routine” God reminded me to choose God habits. Meaning, when we do the day to day things, like brush teeth, go to bathroom, eat meals, wash hands, clean house, work, etc….remember to rejoice in ALL things. No matter how it seems, God has an amazing plan in store.
Marriages may have been started in lust, but GOD can bring HIS LOVE in. He is a resurrection GOD!!!!!!! Believe it or not, many don’t understand the danger that comes from choosing the enemy’s name. It is talked up in this world, because he is the god of this world, according to the word of God. Many go to church weekly, pray sometimes, and do the best they can to just survive. God sees you, believe me, He does. I know, I used to do this too. Just survive, get through the day, our family lived this way, while still trying hard to be transparent.
I really believe GOD is tired of His kids just surviving. He has a strong desire for us to THRIVE in HIM! He does not want us to strive for anything, because HIS name proves us. His name alone. Even if our name gets damaged, or even what looks like killed, as it is dragged through the mud, and slandered, GOD will resurrect it, because He LOVES us.
We have authority in Christ to speak to our lives and see change. His word says we have authority to trample on snakes and scorpions!!!! For greater is HE in US than He that is in the world!!!
One last thing, a few weeks ago, Sarah Elizabeth was acting out. God has us in a place of transformation, and change is weird at first. We are earning to embrace it and TRUST God that HIS changes are best. Anyway, it was a Friday evening and she was misbehaving. She was pouting and acting like she was 2 years old. She was whining and then she jumped on the chair, fell off and slammed her ankle on the table.
Her ankle was swollen, and as big as a softball. My husband screamed, “Are you okay?” Then, because he was scared, she began to be. So she began to wail and scream, and I said, “Do you want to go to the doctor?” Because see this is how I was trained doctors fix us. But, then, after I got over myself and what was going on, I felt a nudge from God. I was led to ask Sarah E to crawl to her room. It was only a few steps from where she was. She looked at me funny, but complied. When she got there, she began calming down.
The words from scripture that came to me were this, we must first learn to crawl, to walk and then to run. When she crawled, even a little bit, she humbled herself before God. My husband came in, prayed over her, anointed her foot with oil, and we watched a foot that was incredibly swollen, return to normal. Within minutes she could walk and run. The word of GOD is a powerful tool. We can never underestimate our Master Physician. His LOVE heals us.
Remember who gave you your name today. Think about when the children God gave you were named. Seek God for what the names mean. There is A LOT in a NAME, especially the name of JESUS!!!
Love to you ALL, praying for you, that God’s GLORY multiplies in your lives. ~
Note: The pictures that go with this blog post could not be uploaded here, so we uploaded them separately. Please check them out as you are led. 🙂
In His Grace,
E