Wednesday, November 30th
All in a Name
I read last night in “Dare to Dream Again,” and it is really inspiring. It really hit me how God gives me so much. I am reading in chapter 6, and I read only a section or two at a time so that I can better reflect on what it is that I am reading, thus having a more profound impact within my life. And I have seen in a change in my character from taking it slow reading wise. I have been told a number of times, it’s not about quantity, but quality. So even though I don’t knock out a whole chapter in one sitting, I still learn a lot from what I do read. So, if I ever revisit the goal of the “Bible in a Year,” I don’t I would benefit from it as much as to what I am doing now. But that is just me, some people can speed read and knock out a book in 10 minutes and learn just as much as what I would do in a month… anyway, last night I reflected on the part of “names” and I shared it with my poor wife who desperately tried to get to sleep. Our son’s name is Mackenzie, or Mack for short, and that means son of the wise young ruler. Part of the responsibility of a name is living up to it. I had picked his name out when I was in Middle School. I thought it would be a great baseball name, honestly, and before he was born, I still wanted to use it. Then I found out what his name meant. His name puts responsibility back on me… am I willing to live up to it?
Genesis 17:1-8
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers."
3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
Note: What if Abraham disregarded the name God gave him? What if he said rubbish to it all and decided he would do things his own way? God would have still worked and I say that because of the next scripture.
Judges 6:11-18
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
15 "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
17 Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you."
And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return."
Note: Gideon then cuts down the Asherah pole and uses the wood for a sacrifice… but then…
36 Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised- 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew." 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
Note: Gideon didn’t believe at first in his name, even though God called him “mighty warrior.” But as I read through the story, I see Gideon’s confidence grow, not only in God, but living up to his name. If Gideon really believed in his name and had strong faith, I don’t see him saying “my clan is the weakest and I am the least of even them…”
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Note: So it took a weak person to shame the strong. And in all of this, I also realized at just how patient God is… can you imagine being asked about the fleece? Man it wet and the ground dry… make it dry and the ground wet. Parade a bunch of burning bushes down my street singing the national anthem and waving flags in unison. Here are a few names I listed… link is below that if you are interested in seeing what your name means if it isn’t already listed… I love you all and pray that as we enter the final month, we can all prepare for an even greater 2006, for ourselves, our family and for the Church. Johnny Out.
All in a Name
I read last night in “Dare to Dream Again,” and it is really inspiring. It really hit me how God gives me so much. I am reading in chapter 6, and I read only a section or two at a time so that I can better reflect on what it is that I am reading, thus having a more profound impact within my life. And I have seen in a change in my character from taking it slow reading wise. I have been told a number of times, it’s not about quantity, but quality. So even though I don’t knock out a whole chapter in one sitting, I still learn a lot from what I do read. So, if I ever revisit the goal of the “Bible in a Year,” I don’t I would benefit from it as much as to what I am doing now. But that is just me, some people can speed read and knock out a book in 10 minutes and learn just as much as what I would do in a month… anyway, last night I reflected on the part of “names” and I shared it with my poor wife who desperately tried to get to sleep. Our son’s name is Mackenzie, or Mack for short, and that means son of the wise young ruler. Part of the responsibility of a name is living up to it. I had picked his name out when I was in Middle School. I thought it would be a great baseball name, honestly, and before he was born, I still wanted to use it. Then I found out what his name meant. His name puts responsibility back on me… am I willing to live up to it?
Genesis 17:1-8
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers."
3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
Note: What if Abraham disregarded the name God gave him? What if he said rubbish to it all and decided he would do things his own way? God would have still worked and I say that because of the next scripture.
Judges 6:11-18
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
15 "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
17 Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you."
And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return."
Note: Gideon then cuts down the Asherah pole and uses the wood for a sacrifice… but then…
36 Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised- 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew." 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
Note: Gideon didn’t believe at first in his name, even though God called him “mighty warrior.” But as I read through the story, I see Gideon’s confidence grow, not only in God, but living up to his name. If Gideon really believed in his name and had strong faith, I don’t see him saying “my clan is the weakest and I am the least of even them…”
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Note: So it took a weak person to shame the strong. And in all of this, I also realized at just how patient God is… can you imagine being asked about the fleece? Man it wet and the ground dry… make it dry and the ground wet. Parade a bunch of burning bushes down my street singing the national anthem and waving flags in unison. Here are a few names I listed… link is below that if you are interested in seeing what your name means if it isn’t already listed… I love you all and pray that as we enter the final month, we can all prepare for an even greater 2006, for ourselves, our family and for the Church. Johnny Out.
- Mackenzie – Son of the wise young ruler.
- Jonathon – Name noted for manliness, generosity and unselfishness.
- Jeff – God’s peace.
- Steve – Victorious, crown, and wreath.
- Jenny – White spirit.
- Clevins – Steep cliff.
- Scott – A Scotsman.
- Michelle – Who is like God.
- Michael – Also, who is like God.
- Ann – Gracious.
- Ray – Counselor.
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