What’s In a Name – actually a lot more than I realized

We have a birth name, a family of origin name, nick-name, and many other relational-names like friend, sister, mother, wife, husband, dad, cousin, uncle, or son.  There are also gender and age (or maturity level) names like male/female, infant, teen or elderly.  Then there are organizational and educational names like teacher, engineer, accountant, clerk, CEO, president, pastor and so forth.  They speak to who we are and what we do, our identity and our purpose.  Each name produces a mental picture.  Our name also speaks to our realm of responsibility – our own expectations and the needs and expectations of others in those realms of responsibility.

For example, the Queen of England is the Head of The Church of England where our President is The Commander and Chief.  Both are the leaders of nations, but are given responsibilities in two different realms; one is religious and the other military.  As I mentioned them, you pictured them and who they are in those positions – didn’t you?  We have expectations of these positions and when they are not met we become disappointed. 

 My boss has a given name, relational names and a job title.  She is a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, daughter, friend, supervisor, Christian and The Chief Executive Officer.  She is all these, all the time, but functions as the CEO in her position with our company.  All these other names influence all the areas of her life, however some become more dominate with the occasion, location and need.

Likewise, our God has many names; they speak of him as relational, and as the authority in various realms of responsibility.  We will look at one of these, later and examine the promise of it.

There are people in our lives who have not lived up to the expectation or need in relational areas of responsibility with us.  We have missed the mark on many occasions, as well.  These disappointments translate into all our relationships until new trust is built.  Knowing this is there any wonder as to how easily the devil puts the goodness and faithfulness and dependability of our God on trial in our minds as circumstances arise where trust is needed. 

It would be an effort, crowned with failure and even prison if I attempted to function as the president of the United States.  And as my bosses executive assistant, I can speak in her behalf in selected areas, I can arrange meetings, travel and make purchases, but termination would be certain if I attempted to function as the CEO.  Yet, I found myself trying to function as, “God” in circumstances which required trust in my God’s realm of responsibility. 

Off and on for a number of years I have been the source of supply in the areas of emotional comfort, encouragement and finances for three close family members.  I put myself in that position for a couple of reasons; one, I thought I needed to pay for the guilt I felt from my failures (Duh!  Hadn’t God forgiven me?!).  And because I obviously wasn’t really trusting that God would rise to the need…and He just sat back and let me attempt to be Him.  I was told once that God doesn’t force Himself into any situation, I can testify to the truth of this. 

Several years ago my husband purchased a small blanket/throw which has woven in it the names of God.  It is usually wrapped around me when I have my coffee-quiet time in the mornings because my chair is leather and usually cold to sit on.  On a recent morning I was filled with the overwhelming responsibility of these circumstances and the ongoing needs.  I bowed my head, began to cry and said, “Lord, I cannot do this anymore, I am just not sufficient and I am running out of resources.”  I’m sure there was a collective gasp from the living creatures surrounding the thrown of God that morning when I finally gave up…I could almost hear it.  After a few seconds, as my tears dried up, I opened my eyes to the blanket across my lap to see the words, “El Shaddai – The ALL Sufficient One.” That’s the kind of thing to make you laugh and cry at the same time.

I grabbed my Bible to get a better understanding of this Name/Job Title.  The first time was in Genesis chapter 17, God told Abram that he and Sarai (now elderly) they would become parents.  God introduced Himself as El Shaddai:  the ALL mighty, the ALL sufficient, the ALL bountiful, the nourisher, strength giver, satisfier, the supplier of the needs of His people – in short The ALL God.

At the same time He changed their names (job titles) from Abram, which means exalted father to Abraham, which means father of a multitude.  He was telling Abraham what he would be, not what he (Abraham) thought he was.  He changed Sarai, which means princely to Sarah, which means the mother of princes.  The second time is in Genesis chapter 35 when He wrestles with Jacob.  God changes Jacob’s name, which means surplanter to Israel, which means God’s Prince.  There is so much in the meaning of these old to new job titles, but for the sake of time we won’t go there today.

So I realize as I’m meditating on all this that when God introduces Himself as El Shaddai to someone the next step is a name change.  The Spirit spoke to my spirit and asked, “In one word, what is the opposite of ALL?”  It was a quick answer, I said, “nil or none or nothing.”  He smiled and agreed, “Your new job (name/title) is ‘nothing’.  You do nothing and say nothing unless I tell you to do or say something.  You are to pray and trust Me.  I AM the ALL, you are not” 

What a load He has taken from off my shoulders – I really understand and am understanding to trust is to have the “yoke” removed – His burden is easy and His Yoke is light.

(Daniel) saying, "Blessed be the name of God, forever and ever. He knows ALL, does ALL:

He changes the seasons and guides history, He raises up kings and also brings them down, he provides both intelligence and discernment, He opens up the depths, tells secrets, sees in the dark — light spills out of him!”  Dan. 2:20-22 (THE MESSAGE)

Inheritance, Finished (I think)

One Bite At A Time – Part 3 (Final – I think?)

Q.        How do you eat an elephant?

A.        One bite at a time.

In my quest to understand inheritance I have literally run rabbit trails all over the Bible.  It is mentioned again and again and again.  The more I read, looked up the Hebrew and Greek meanings of the passage, the less of a real understanding I have.  It has been like trying to read a legal document – not helpful or productive at all.  My quest has repeatedly taken me back to the one core ingredient – the Holy Ghost; the earnest of our inheritance.

To be intimately acquainted with the earnest, the administrator, the mediator of this great inheritance I believe is the route I’m to take in this quest.  This, beloved, is what I see…

·         In the Trinity we have:  Father, Brother (Son) and Comforter (Spirit), three who function as one.  In the beginning (Gen. 1:2), the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  He is an equal part of the creative force. 

·         In the Gospel of Matthew, speaking of Mary, the mother of our Lord (1:18, 20) “…she was found with child of the Holy Ghost”, “…for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”  

·         In Acts 1:4-9, we are told by our Lord, ‘“And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, “which”, saith he, “ye have heard of me.  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?  And he said unto them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”’  (KJV)

The Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the partner in creation, in the conception of our Lord and the power to live this great and vast inheritance.  There is so much more, but I want to encourage you and myself to think on this Helper, this Comforter and this Power to be, daily, what our Lord has called us to.

I end this with word from Paul (Romans 14:8), “We live unto the Lord.” and the words of Charles Spurgeon (below).  They both say it so much better than I.

If God had willed it, each of us might have entered heaven at the moment of conversion. It was not absolutely necessary for our preparation for immortality that we should tarry here. It is possible for a man to be taken to heaven, and to be found meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, though he has but just believed in Jesus. It is true that our sanctification is a long and continued process, and we shall not be perfected till we lay aside our bodies and enter within the veil; but nevertheless, had the Lord so willed it, He might have changed us from imperfection to perfection, and have taken us to heaven at once. Why then are we here? Would God keep His children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? Why is the army of the living God still on the battle-field when one charge might give them the victory? Why are His children still wandering hither and thither through a maze, when a solitary word from His lips would bring them into the centre of their hopes in heaven? The answer is—they are here that they may "live unto the Lord," and may bring others to know His love. We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed; as ploughmen to break up the fallow ground; as heralds publishing salvation. We are here as the "salt of the earth," to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life. We are here as workers for Him, and as "workers together with Him." Let us see that our life answereth its end. Let us live earnest, useful, holy lives, to "the praise of the glory of His grace." Meanwhile we long to be with Him, and daily sing—

"My heart is with Him on His throne,
And ill can brook delay;
Each moment listening for the voice,
'Rise up, and come away.'"

Will You Draw Back The Curtain, Lord, And Show Us What Is Really Happening?

By E. H. McClary (Bubba)

In ancient Greek theater, the sound effects, music and singing, lights, shadows and the narration, or the “Voice of God” often came from behind the curtain at the back of the stage.  At the end of the play, “The Apocalypse”, the curtain was drawn back, to reveal what is really going on. This is where we get our word in the English:  Revelation.

I asked my friend, Ed King, one of the early warriors in the Jackson, Mississippi movement for civil rights, if he would let me convert one of his overhead presentations to a PowerPoint presentation for him so that he could concentrate more on the presentation and less on changing the overheads.  He sent a large folder of them and I began to scan them.

The very first slide was a photo taken from a textbook, shot of the Vietnam memorial in DC.  Ed was there, staying with his brother in Virginia for a while and he wanted – needed to see the memorial because the artist, Maya Ying Lin who created this memorial also created the design for the memorial fountain in Montgomery, Alabama, which lists names and death dates of those who died in the struggle for civil rights, just as the memorial in DC lists the names of those who died in the struggle to try to save the people of South Vietnam from communist domination.

The second slide was of the Civil Rights memorial in Montgomery Alabama, at the Southern Poverty Law Center, also by Maya Ying Lin; same stone, same type face.

This Juxtaposition is striking for a number of reason and on many levels. The people of South Vietnam could have saved themselves from the communists of North Vietnam but they could never save themselves from the combined forces of the communists of the USSR and the PRC.

The people of Mississippi, Alabama, the rest of the south, could have ended the domination of Jim Crow, however they could never end the domination of Jim Crow powered by the hate of the KKK and all the other bigots in America, combined with the silent acquiesce of the rest of the American public.

Ed had also promised an old friend that while he was at the memorial he would make a charcoal impression of the name and death date of her son, a U.S. Marine who was killed in 1968, in an ambush near the border with North Vietnam. 

Ed was out one day and felt an intuition that he should go to the memorial and make the charcoal impression.

In the textbook photo there is a lady standing looking at the names as the photographer shot the picture and you can see her shadow as the afternoon sun shines on the memorial.  The Photographer is somewhere looking through the view finder of the camera, far enough away that he and the camera are not reflected in the glass-like surface of the memorial. Yet there appears to be another image in the surface of the memorial. The image is much too large to be the reflection of the small lady or even of the Photographer. The person who shot the picture would be looking down into the viewfinder of a 50 mm camera, or it could be the photographer if the image had a camera up to its face, which it does not.

This photo was not taken the day Ed was there, I only mention the presence of the extra image because I’ve been told by others they have seen similar phenomena and I don’t believe in coincidences.

After getting the impression Ed went home and that evening he called his old friend back home in Jackson to tell her he’d fulfilled the promise he’d made and had the charcoal impression he’d said he would make. She immediately began to cry and asked why he’d gone to take the impression today.  Ed said he was near there and had a sudden intuition he should do it lest he forget and come home without it, no particular reason other than that sudden feeling that he should and asked why are you crying and why do you ask?   “Today is, would have been my son’s fortieth birthday”

The Sun is 93 million miles away. Its light travels to us at 186 thousand miles per second and takes about eight minutes to get here. The gravity of the earth exerts the same force on every piece of matter that happens to fall into its gravity well causing everything to fall at exactly the same rate, 33 feet per second squared.  14 billion years ago all the matter in the universe was in just one place.  God exhaled and in the exhalation said there would be light.  The only reason any of this is important is that God has provided everything in this entire universe He created, everything we need for life, for love and happiness. God wants us to love and nurture each other and be happy. Every once in a great while he allows a few of us to see through the floor of heaven beyond the real and the hard facts that define reality as we know it, to the great truths of life as we should understand it, so we will remember that all we really see is “Through a glass, darkly”.

Sanctified

 Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, AND to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (KJV)

I have been camped out on this particular verse since I came across it several weeks ago.  Actually it captured me.  There are two words in this part that I needed to look at:  inheritance and sanctified.  The latter we will look at first – which appears to me to be a condition to receive.

To “sanctify” here, as in other places, means to set apart for holy use (set apart for God to use) NOT holy-ness.  Since no man can cleanse himself from sin this cannot possibly be the meaning.  In this sense, a partnership with God.  The Greek word is hagiazo; basically it means to separate from a profane to a sacred use; to consecrate self wholly to God and His service.  The primary meaning is separation, not making holy.  It has to do with our being “use-able” by God for His purposes.  I don’t know about you, but that is reason to exhale in relief.  So my question now is, “How do I get to this set-apart place?”  Can you see now how this has made me ponder – a WHILE?

I believe and the Word bears witness that we are changed and separated (sanctified) when we are born again.  When we willingly give our lives to him, He literally separates us from the crowd. 

So, does that mean that I am to sell everything, abandon everyone and go to work in Africa?  Probably not, but maybe.  Here is the path my pondering has taken me.  In the second chapter of the Gospel of John, there is a wedding.  Mary, Jesus and a couple of close friends are there when the event runs out of wine.  Mary says an interesting thing, (verse 5) “Whatsoever he (Jesus) saith unto you, DO IT.  (KJV)

Beloved, there are “good works” and there are “God works”.  Good works are good things we do, necessary things, but these bring us the glory and have a temporary reward.  Things that need to be, should be done, things we have the means and talent to get done.  There is nothing wrong with these things or doing these things as long as this is not all we do.

On the other side of this coin are God Works.  Doing what He says, when He says IT.  This is sanctification – set apart for His use.  He gets the Glory, the work has an eternal purpose and we get the reward…a real Win-Win.

There are many “good people” who do “good things”, but does that make them sanctified?  Sanctification is something God does with us so that the “works” are initiated by Him, completed by us with His provision and power.  Exchange the word “works” for “obedience” (whatever He saith to do, do IT).  Then the understanding of the scripture in James 2 hits the mark; “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works (obedience) is dead.  (ASV)

We have the beginning of an understanding of sanctify..Let’s ponder this a few days and then talk about our inheritance.

Able to Build You Up

Able to Build You Up

 Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (KJV)

Last week I came across this scripture and it stopped me in my tracks.  I know you understand, sometimes you are just reading along and, BAM, you read a sentence and you just stop and say, “WOW!”, then you re-read it and highlight it and think about it off and on all day.  That is what this is for me.  I pick up my Bible to read further, but my eyes and mind go back, so obviously He isn’t finished talking to me (us) about it. 

Last week this scripture brought to mind a reoccurring dream I had years ago about a house and garden that represented the work the Holy Spirit was doing in and for me. So my daily muse has turned to, “Why?”  He (the word of His grace) is ABLE to build me up, but why?  There is a purpose in all He does.  Some, to be sure, build just to be building or create, just to create.  There is pleasure in the process of building and creating – such an investment of time, creativity, physical and emotional energy, however, seems such a waste without a purpose, at lease for me. 

The Greek for, “build you up” is epoikodomeo (I don’t even try to pronounce it):  meaning to edify, build up in the faith, or build any kind of structure.  Other places you will find this Greek reference is I Cor. 3:1-14 (v9 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building); Eph. 2:  ²⁰And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; Col. 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. And, Jude ²⁰But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost…(all KJV).

This need to build us up suggests a ruin of man, just like the house and garden I saw in my dream; a wreck of our body, soul, and spirit, which must be repaired and made new again as (and here it is, beloved – the PURPOSE) The Habitation of God by the Spirit.  Oh my, all that for this – that I may be His habitat.  I am (me – the least deserving of the litter) the Temple, the dwelling place of His Spirit.  I am God’s movable house – His Winnebago (no, really!).

To further examine this process I can go deeper or challenge you to do your own research and ponderings with the following seven topics.

1.      The Foundation:  I Cor. 1: 11-15; Eph. 2: 19-22

2.      The Model or Plan:  II Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:10

3.      The Materials:  Rom. 3:23; 5:12-21; I Thes. 5:23; Psm. 51:5; Eph. 2: 1-9

4.      The Tools: 

a.       Word – Rom. 1:16; Jn. 15:3; 17:17; Eph. 5:26; Jas. 1:18; I Pete. 1:23; Heb. 4:12

b.      Blood – Matt. 26:28; Eph. 1:17; Col. 1:20; Rev. 1:5;Heb. 9-10

c.       Grace – Acts 20:32; Jn 1:7; Eph. 2: 8-9;

d.      Spirit Gifts – I Cor. 12: 4-11

5.      The Workers:

a.       God – Jn. 3:16; Phil. 2:13

b.      Christ – Matt. 1:21; Gal. 3:13-14; Heb. 4: 14-16; Jn. 16:23-26

c.       Holy Spirit – Jn. 16: 7-15; Rom. 8: 1-13, 26; I Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:5

d.      Angels – Heb. 1:14

e.       Man (us) – Jn. 3:16; II Tim. 2: 4; Rev. 22: 17; II Cor. 6; Phil 2: 12; II Pete. 4-10; I Jn. 1:7; Jude 20-24; Eph. 4: 11

6.      The Goal:  II Cor. 5: 17; II Cor. 3: 18; Eph. 2:19-22; 4:13; 5: 27; Col. 3: 10;

7.      The Result:  Eph. 2:19-22; 4:13; 5: 27; Jn. 14: 1-3; I Thes. 4: 13-17; Rev. 21-22.

Who knew the Word talked so much about buildings and building (construction)?  Who knew that all this work He does in us and for us is as important to Him as it is to us?  He is worthy and He makes us worthy – sea worthy, road worthy, habitable.  Good news all around, agreed?

I wonder if I have finished my musing of this passage?...we will see

Choices

 

In a recent televised sermon, T. D. Jakes said, “I am not defined by my past; I am defined by my future.”

 

Daily, we are becoming the person we choose to be.  Amen, Mr. Jakes!  The failures of my past only define me if I am unable to learn and turn.  The successes of my past only define me, if I camp out there and stop growing and moving ever forward. 

The devil likes to remind me of my past mistakes and he often uses people to remind me.  I simply tell him, “It is written… I am forgiven (I John 1:9) and I have been redeemed (Gal. 3:13) and My Lord will make ALL things work together for my good (Rom. 8:28).  And when it comes to people’s condemnation, I simply and sincerely say, “I have asked for my Lord’s forgiveness and if this (event/choice, etc.) has offended or harmed you, please forgive me.”  If they don’t – that is between them and their Lord.  I cannot fix that.  I can bless them, hold up my head and walk on.  Jesus has forgiven me, I am accepted in the beloved (Eph. 1:6).

Even the best, most-accomplished people, with long track records of successes have lives punctuated by slips, slides and mini-turnarounds.  That is why the ability to recover quickly and get back on course is so important. 

I believe the ability to recover quickly comes from these ingredients: 

(1)   Confidence in who He is; Confidence in the Truth of His word and promises; Confidence in who we are in Him; Confidence in the fact that you are forgiven and He is for you (who can be against you?); Confidence in your support system.  Confidence is built on relationship. 

(2)   The culture and support system that surrounds us motivates us to make the extra push that can provide the needed margin for victory.  It was not legalism or religion that Paul spoke about when he said that we were not to forsake gathering together.  We need each other.  Resilience is not simply and individual characteristic or a psychological phenomenon.  It is helped or hindered by the surrounding support system.

(3) Changing our mind and what we believe about ourselves.  Self-condemnation is rampant in most believers’ lives.  We must recognize it and stop it.  Self-justification and self-righteousness is also rampant.  Any focus on “self” is a focus toward failure.  Look these references up in your Bible (Gen 6:5; Pr 15:22; Isa 55:7 & 59:7; Jer. 4:14; Matt 15:19; I Cor. 13:5; Gal 5:19; Phil 4:8).  Learn what God’s word says about our thought life.

(4)  Grace!  It is His Grace that gives me the ability and the power to do that which I cannot do.  It is Grace that went with Abraham and Isaac up the mountain of sacrifice.  It is Grace the walked the hill to Calvary.  It was Grace that was sufficient for Paul’s weakness (infirmity).  It is Grace that saved my dying soul and Grace that will take me through.

We are not defined by our past.  We are defined, beloved, by the choices we make today.

Faith

1 Peter 1: 21

…Who by him (referring to Jesus) do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. (KJV) emphasis mine

Early in my new relationship with God, I received a lot of “Faith” teaching.  There is nothing wrong with this, I just let my focus get on “my faith” and not my faith in God.  In other words, I began to believe if I really believe and had enough of the right kind of faith, I could move mountains, change the world, etc.  My faith was in my faith like some great positive thinker or new-age, mind over matter mystic.  That certainly failed me often.  That failure made me think that I must be a poor excuse for a Christian, if I don’t have enough faith to accomplish (whatever I was “believing” for).

I was putting the cart before the horse in that my faith and hope is from Him and in Him NOT that He joins me in my hoped outcome.  My hoped outcome in any situation should be determined by my reliance on His plan, which is for me and my good and/or the good of those I’m interceding for.  This comes from a firm reliance, gained over time, in the faithfulness of His word and His daily relationship with me.

This allows me to gain the positive hope that will pour out of my mouth in any given situation.  Not the negative, gloom that comes from the circumstances of any given situation.

Let's start first by identifying what I mean by negative.

Negative is an unrelenting focus on what is wrong; the tendency to grab hold of the problem so tightly that I can't receive a solution. (by the way... negative people will call this behavior "realism" or "reality thinking." Acknowledging the thorns and ignoring the rose is NOT reality.)

Can I now believe that I can give Him my fearful thoughts about a problem in my life (Phil. 4: 6-7), do I really believe that He can work all things for my good (Rom. 8:28), can I trust His plan for me (Jer. 29:11), can I believe the He prepares good things for me in the presence of my enemy (Psm 23)?  Yes!  I am learning (I’m a slow learner) that my faith in God is a restful place and not a focused power to overcome the circumstances.

Two years ago at the age of 60, the division of the company I worked for closed down and I lost my job.  I applied for and interviewed for positions in other parts of the company, without success.  Someone said that starting over in a new position, with a new company, AT MY AGE would be difficult.  I grabbed that negative thought and the fear inside me began to grow.  I quickly realized what was happening and repented.  I began asking God to change my focus from this negative to His way of thinking.  Almost immediately, I thought, “My age and my experience are an asset to anyone and any organization.”  I began to confess that every time fear would run thought my mind. 

I was able to do a lot of reading at that time, take refresher classes on the skills I needed to keep sharp and focused on God finding me the right position at the right time…He did and I’ve been enjoying it for over a year now.

I, like you, have ongoing trials; things are not all falling into place as I planned.  Not being in control of all the circumstances of life is a challenge to my flesh and my attitude.  But I make myself change my focus and remember faith – real faith in Him – is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), and within every piece of fruit is the seed for the next.