NEW NAME
NEW NAME, “WORTH CONSIDERING” 12/14/20 From Ken<><
Today’s Scripture (Across my desk this morning from a church in Texas.)
Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:28, NIV)
You Have a New Name
Jacob’s name means “a supplanted, a deceiver,” and that was how he lived. Later in his life, he got tired of living like that. One night he went to get alone with God when an angel appeared to him and said, “God has a new name for you. Your name will be Israel,” which means “prince with God.” He was saying, “Being a deceiver is not your true identity. You are a prince. You will reign in life.” The first thing God had to do was to get the shame off of Jacob. Maybe you have let your circumstances, your failures, or even other people put a label on you that says, “shame on you.” No, God’s grace changes all that. God says, “I’m going to bless you anyway. I know your true identity.” He is changing our names to “Prince,” to “Princess,” to “Forgiven,” to “Highly Favored.” Agree with what God is saying, and He will bless you in amazing ways.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You have a new name for me, and by Your grace I am going to reign in life. Thank You that I can take negative labels off my life and proudly wear the name of “Redeemed.” I believe that You are going to bless me in amazing ways. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Ken’s Comments:
When born I got my father’s name Norman Kenneth Smith Jr. Which in faith means: Handsome man from the North who makes things with his hands. Well where I was born in Kentucky is considered South and now at 88 the Handsome part is way gone and really I don’t make much with my hands any more. But then when I was consecrated a Bishop/Abbot John that took on a new meaning for me. Being named after John seemed to have put my head in a totally different space after 7/5/03 both good and bad. Good in that John was really close to Jesus and bad in that it made me feel somehow more important. Being confirmed by a bunch of people that your were now part of a long list of saints going back to Peter was somewhat manipulative to my little ego.
Of course the Word of God tells us to wait for the Judgment of Jesus when it is the right time. And that our only claim to fame is who we are in HIM when filled with the Holy Spirit. So in a way it has been very sanctifying to realize that it mean little or nothing unless submitted to the Holy Spirit. One day long ago I put on my $300$ high class Hawaiian straw hat with pheasant hat band and with my authentic cane, ring, cross and purple crane shirt to look the Abbot/Bishop part through the Honolulu airport. Nearly got tarred and feathered by the Pentecostal Lady at the ticket counter but the security guy at the exit door wanted to stop the crowd and have me take his concession. Never did that again, just not my cup of tea. So learned early in 2003 & 4 that unless the LORD build the house they labor in vain that try to build it. That like Paul teaches us best to be all things to everyone that we might by all means win some to Jesus as LORD.
We may have a flavor that we like and that is OK, God’s loves colors and harmonic sounds and filled HIS creation with them. The same with us. My experience ingrowing up was old German Celtic. But my doctrine needs to match GOD’S Eternal Truth as found in the Word of God. So when I go to the Word of God I go with the humility to learn and the obedience to do what I am shown in God’s Truth. One time I took on of the old creeds and took the liberty of adding what I had found that seemed to be missing. Thought to include it here as follows: By the way, our Loving Creator has already picked out a new name for you if you make it into HIS Kingdom.
I confess that Jesus Christ is my Lord, Master, and Savior. By faith in Christ Jesus, I am forgiven, cleansed, healed and made a citizen of His eternal kingdom. Jesus Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law of sin, sickness, weakness and eternal death through His death on the cross for me. I believe in the Trinity of one God: Almighty Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Creator made flesh, The Word of God who was begotten as the second Adam. He was born of a virgin, died for my sins, rose for my justification and is coming again soon, in great glory, to establish His Kingdom on earth. I believe in the new birth from above, the baptism in water, and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I confess that the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed me from all my sin and I am now made the righteousness of God in and through Christ Jesus. I confess that I can do all things through Christ who is my strength as I abide in Him. I confess that this world is not my home. I confess that I am a pilgrim in a foreign land and I look for that certain return of my Lord Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. I confess that there is but one holy universal and apostolic Church of Jesus Christ and all those who are born from above are brethren and citizens of His kingdom. I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ is being perfected by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers and other ministries of His Church until all the faithful come into the unity of the faith and the bond of peace and are changed into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ, (Eph. 4:1 16). (The more you confess the more you will believe.)
Worthy Brief <worthybrief@worthynetwork.com> A U.S. pastor who spent two years in a Turkish prison for activities linked to his faith warns of upcoming persecution of Christians in the United States. The US government deficit in the first two months of the budget year increased by 25.1% more than it was at the same time last year, PBS reports.. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a last-ditch effort to overturn the official results of the 2020 presidential election despite reported voter fraud. Tens of thousands of people converged on the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court on Dec. 12—waving American flags, wearing red, white, and blue, and blaring horns—to take part in rallies calling for greater transparency in the 2020 election. Iran on Saturday executed a journalist who inspired nationwide economic protests for freedom in 2017 after luring him out of exile in Paris and kidnapping him. A significant leak shows that at least nearly two million Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members work worldwide, including US government agencies and the biggest companies, Australian media reported Sunday.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!