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wolint · 1 year

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FRESH MANNA

CHANGE OF NAME

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

We know the prayer of Jabez very well, one of the most popular prayers in the bible. Imagine having a name that constantly reminds one of an unfortunate start in life.

We would like someone, especially our parents to bless us but what does one do when a mother places a “curse” on one?

We quote and pray this scripture, but can we see beyond the prayer?

What is so important about Jabez that the Lord interrupted the genealogies to take two verses to speak of him?

Jabez’s problem started when he was named. Spiritually, our names have a direct link to our destinies and names can be a blessing or a curse to us.

God is extremely interested in names, He was always particular about the names of His children because He knows that we become what we are called and answers to.

This mother named her child based on her experiences, she named him Jabez, because she bore him with sorrow, why? To remind herself of a sad season, a bad pregnancy, or an unhappy marriage, we’ll never know but thank God Jabez had the foresight to cry to God for a change of name.

Who knows maybe after years of bullying, misfortune and ridicule, through prayer Jabez managed to overcome the limitations inherent in his name.

What is in your name?

Is it a blessing or a reminder of an unfortunate incident? Have you wondered what your names are doing for or against you?

I took stock of our names and was thankful our parents named us all prophetically. As bad as life gets, we don’t want our names speaking against us daily each time it’s called out.

Something is always labouring against us, our actual given names or those given us by others, those not-so-nice names like Ichabod as Phinehas’ wife called her child as she was dying from labour in 1 Samuel 4:18-22: "The glory has departed”, this was the fate of a newborn child, because the glory of God had departed from Israel.

Naomi, meaning beautiful in Ruth 1:20 because of circumstances chose to change her name to Mara which means bitter. Naomi attempted to change her name to bitterness, to reflect her hard circumstances. Neither history nor her daughter-in-law Ruth indulged her, and before long, God changed her story.

You too can change your name if the one you have does not suit you, the Lord did that with people because of the destiny He had planned for them and when God changes a person’s name and gives him a new name, it’s usually to establish a new identity such as:

Abram to Abraham in Genesis 17:5.

Sarai to Sarah in Genesis 17:15.

Jacob to Israel in Genesis 32:28.

Solomon to Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25.

Saul to Paul in Acts 13:9.

Jesus changed Simon’s name, meaning “God has heard,” to “Peter,” meaning "rock" when He first called him a disciple in John 1:42.

Finally, there is a name change for all believers: God says in Revelation 2:17, "To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.

When we reach heaven, God will change our names. It will represent our own changed identity as we transition from sinful to holy. In the meantime, be sure to only answer to the names God calls you and not one that works against your destiny. I am blessed because my name says so and God’s word confirms it.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for allowing me to align my name to my destiny in Christ through his name in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Shalom

Women of light international prayer ministries.

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givemearmstopraywith · 2 years

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Something I've been thinking about is the renaming of Jacob Israel, seen in a trans way. Like, obviously there's the importance of renaming to many of us, but there's also often seen to be some sort of conflict in that pride is the name of a sin, and the name of our movement. But, like, when we speak of queer pride we mean unapologetical self determination against great odds, and that is what Israel shows, and they aren't just not punished, they're rewarded. They are given everything they struggled for.

i think about this a lot as well! renaming is a very common way in which Y--- seals a covenant with his chosen people: abram becomes abraham, jacob becomes israel, hosea to joshua. in the NT saul becomes paul, and simon becomes peter (or, specifically, petros, the rock on which the church is built- yeah jesus gave him a pun name). even enoch becomes metatron. and there's something particularly interesting about these changes because it means that people are changing their family name to something else, something inspired by something that lies outside of the family. in all cases the names are changed by the deity, except in the case of joshua, whose name is changed by moses- but importantly moses is acting on behalf of God and, as in the cases of everyone else, preparing joshua to take up a new, divinely inspired life under God's direct influence. but i think what you've said about self-determination specifically is important. what is perceived by many people to be self-determination is actually God-determination.

i find the sin of pride to be a sticky one- much like "using God's name in vain", i think its been oversimplified by lazy theology. using God's name "in vain" doesn't mean swearing or foul language, it specifically means misusing God's name in solemn oath- a traditional practice pivotal to hebrew life, where a verbal oath was binding when God was invoked (dating back to the mizpah agreement between jacob and laban), and an idea that we can expand to more modern applications of doing things that explicitly go against God's word in the name of God (i.e., killing in the name of God, or hatred in the name of God). similarly, "pride" is a highly necessary part of human development and survival. God wants us to take pride in ourselves because when we do, we are glorifying him and we are importantly aiding our ability to survive in an uncertain world that often systematically tries to strip us of purpose, worth, and love. if we are made in God's image, there is nothing wrong with taking pride in those innate traits which come from God. one's transness is a gift from God, and our ability to love- platonically, erotically, romantically, or otherwise- is, of course, God itself- so it is important and holy to take pride in these things. people will conflate pride with arrogance and in the case of those marginalized with use this as an excuse to continue loudly and even violently marginalizing them- we see this in the treatment of our own pride movement, of black pride and other racial and cultural celebrations, in the emergence of pseudo-movements like "white pride" and "hetero pride" to "combat" perceived threat from minority groups. but pride movements are, even in their most secular form, about celebrating inherent value and worth in a system that endeavours to strip worth from both the individual and the group: it is about celebrating the innate sanctity and divinity of something which God has made and has, through his creation, imbued value. whether your believe in God as a personified being or not, the very act of being a created thing- an existent- implies value. and we can hardly not take pride in our own value in an inhospitable world.

#replies #sorry this turned into a bit of a ramble HJKDFHGJDFHG

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didanawisgi · 5 years

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JESHUA, ZERUBBABEL AND HAGGAI

by Bernie G. Owens, Royal Arch Mason

"JESHUA, Zerubbabel and Haggai Those three ancient worthies who formed the First Grand Council and held their meetings in Jerusalem".

“As we listen to the opening of a Royal Arch Chapter in Maryland, we hear this repeated over and over, how many times have you considered just what it means. Were you the least bit curious about the origin of these characters, their names and their contribution to our craft? First let us study the three names individually.

JESHUA This name has been used throughout the Bible as the name of important places and people. It is a basic name in Hebrew history and appears with many different spellings. Some of which are Oshea, Joshua, JESHUA, and Jesus. The name indicates DELIVERER or SAVIOUR and is used in connection with persons who eventually had a part in the deliverance and salvation of the people. We will limit our comments to three particular individuals who have had a particular influence on York Rite Masonry.

Moses was led to appoint Joshua, the son of Nun, as his successor during the final wanderings in the wilderness, and it was this Joshua who delivered the children of Israel into the Promised Land. His leadership role was military, political and spiritual.

JESHUA, the son of Jozaddek the High Priest, was the spiritual leader in the rebuilding of the temple, when the children of Israel were delivered from the Babylonish captivity. He shared the political leadership with Zerubbabel. He was probably born in Babylon during the Exile. He, being the logical successor in the Priestly line, was, we must assume, educated for the priestly task even in exile. As the spiritual leader, the Jewish people in captivity surely knew and trusted him. Since there was no government in exile, it is logical to believe that JESHUA had a great deal of influence in promoting the leadership of Zerubbabel during this return. To give us some idea of the number of people who were involved in this return, the house of JESHUA alone numbered nine hundred and seventy-three a small .house of only one priest.

Jesus, the son of Mary, wife of the ,carpenter of Nazareth, conceived of the Holy Spirit, the Son of God, and the Saviour of the World.

ZERUBBABEL, "Son (male heir) of Shealtiel, Governor of Judah." Actually he was the grandson of Jeconiah, a great grandson of Hezekiah, King of Judah. He was indeed a part of the Davidic line and as we see in the New Testament a part of the messianic line. Jeconiah had several sons; Shealtiel, Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazar, Jekomiah, Hoshama, Nedabiah. Pedaiah's sons were Zerubbabel and Shimei. Zerubbabel was the father of Meshullam, Hananiah and Shelomith their sister. In Matthew we read that Zerubbabel begot Abiud. Thus we see that Zerubbabel was the nephew of Shealtiel, and that in the Old Testament, the male heir is always referred to as the son of his predecessor. The genealogy of Zerubbabel was through Abraham, David and after him we can trace to the birth of Christ. We cannot stress too greatly the importance of the messianic line of decent.

Zerubbabel was born in captivity, and being a Prince of the House of Judah, he was very probably afforded chances that other young captives would not have been offered. He was possibly a part of the Kings Body Guard. Let us remember how important royal blood lines were. In those days royal captives were considered royalty. Even in recent time we still find some of the European Royal Families in Exile still inter-marrying to preserve the blood lines.

As we well know, he was appointed first by Cyrus as the "Governor" of Judah and later by Darius. By this choice of a Prince of the house of Judah and working with JESHUA the High Priest, the people were eager to follow these men in returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the City and Temple. Zerubbabel was able to accomplish much in restoring the city and completing and dedicating the new temple.

HAGGAI was the first prophet of the restoration. His name means festal or feast. He was contemporary with Zachariah he was probably present at the destruction of the first Temple. He was a Levite, and as such was given special treatment during the captivity. He was an old man when he came back to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel to participate in the rebuilding of the Temple. Not much is known about him, except that which may be elicited from his writings. From the time and event descriptions, the book of Haggai is one of the most precisely dated

books in the entire Bible. At one period there was a fifteen year lapse in the Work on the New Temple. During this period, the people had spent their time building homes, fanning and doing many other things, almost anything but doing God's Business. They began to suffer crop failures, personal problems, bickering and fighting among themselves to a greater extent than usual. The Old Prophet encouraged them to repent and come back to God. Just twenty-four days after this encouragement, work was resumed on the Temple. Immediately their other problems were solved, and their needs were abundantly met. As we studied the book of Haggai, he referred to the "desire of all nations", we still have this desire for the "peace that passeth all understanding."

As we have looked at these three characters, we have found that they lived in the sixth century before Christ. They were a part of the Jewish nation in captivity. It was during this era Synagogue Worship began. This worship outside the Temple in Jerusalem was a new experience for the Jewish people. The governments had been overthrown, many of the political leaders had turned away from the worship of God, many of the people had been in captivity, the Temple had been destroyed, and confusion must have been the order of the day. Yet, with 0 of this, many of the people did repent and return to the worship of God.

As we continue our search for light and truth in York Rite Masonry, we see the importance of JESHUA, Zerubbabel and Haggai to our noble craft. Our Blue Lodges thread the Masonic allegory around the building of the Temple of King Solomon to, of course, represent the Temple of our present life. In Royal Arch Masonry, the allegory completes the erection of that temple, witnesses its destruction, and follows through to the building of a second temple, representing, as it does, the temple of our spiritual life. This leads to the contemplation of our relationship to the creator. As Solomon and the two Hirams laboured to build the first temple, so we labour to build our present life. As JESHUA, Zerubbabel and Haggai laboured at the second temple, so we should build the foundation of our spiritual life.

One of the strange facts that surfaced as we studied the genealogy of Jesus, we found that from Adam to Moses, several instances were exhibited of changing names and personalities. As an example of this we find Abram becoming Abraham, and Jacob becoming Israel. From MOSES to the Birth of Christ, we find no distinctive changes in the names of those listed. With the selection of the twelve apostles, we find Simon became Peter, Saul became Paul, and with this we note that all study opens new vistas and other avenues to satisfy that curiosity and obtain a better understanding of our relationship to each other and to the great creator.”

Bernie G. Owens (Maryland), Royal Arch Mason, Winter 1991

#royal arch

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pastorcowboy · 5 years

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What do we see?

Imagine being on a reckless journey. Your orders were to catch as many of the enemy as you can. Throughout the countryside you go searching and detaining all the enemy you find. Then a flash of lightning hits too close on the road you’re on. A booming voice says “why do you destroy what I have built.”

To be fair, that is not exactly what happened to a man named Saul of tarsus. Yet, it’s very close. This man was a Jew. He was commissioned to find the people of the way. The way? These were the Jesus followers. Their sect was growing and that alarmed the Jews. Saul became the henchman for the Jews. One fateful day on the road to Damascus, God started a path. Saul was blinded and chastised by Jesus for attacking the people of the way (Christians).

Some believe that this Saul may have witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus. There is no proof of that. He was there at the stoning of the martyr Stephen. Saul was becoming strong and powerful within the Jewish realm. Yet, God had other plans. This part is amazing. God sent him to see a Christian in Damascus named Ananias. At the same time God appeared to Ananias and told him to receive Saul.

This is a path of intrigue. To Ananias, Saul was a treacherous villain. To Saul, being helped by Christians must have been humiliating. In both cases dangerous. Yet, a dangerous path set by God. This God led Moses to be trapped by the Red Sea. He put Joseph in Jail. Placed Noah in a torrential rain storm. David at the mercy of a King and his own son Absalom. I could go on. It’s God’s way. I think he gets a kick out of leaving us in peril. Why? So that we must rely on him. I also think it’s to show his mighty power.

In many ways this path is our path. Saul understood Jewish history. He was able to see the connections between Jesus and the prophets. He understood the laws of God. Most of our Christian traditions and thinking comes from Saul. Some pivotal points in God’s history has a name change. In those instances, there was a path correction too. We see that with Abram to Abraham. From Jacob to Israel; Simon to Peter; and Saul to Paul. Here we have Saul becoming Paul the Apostle of Jesus the Christ. Sometimes a path is just a correction. I believe the name change means were changing course.

Genesis 17:5 “What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.”

Genesis 38:28 “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.”

Acts 13:9 “Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Matthew 16:18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

#bible #see #blind

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nolimitsongrace · 5 years

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July 24: A New Name — A New Beginning

A New Name – A New BeginningJuly 24, 2019

…To him that overcometh will I give…a new name — Revelation 2:17

Very often in ancient society, a person received a “new name” when he achieved a new status or advanced to a higher level of society. The bestowal of a new name normally accompanied a person’s elevation, ennoblement, or social promotion, and with it came rank, privilege, and, frequently, the right of inheritance. That new name marked a distinct change in an individual’s status, which could potentially impact his lineage for generations to come.

We see this many times in Scripture. The Bible records many accounts of God conferring new names upon believers when they underwent life-changing spiritual transformations. Take, for instance, the Old Testament examples of Abraham and Sarah. When God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, it marked a new beginning in his life — a spiritual advancement or elevation.

The name Abram means father, which reflected his status as the head of his household. However, when Abram entered into a covenant with God, God changed his name to Abraham, meaning a father of many nations. This new name memorialized their covenant together and reflected Abraham’s new, God-ordained status in life (see Genesis 17:4).

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

As further affirmation of His promise to Abraham, God also changed the name of Abraham’s wife from Sarai, which means quarrelsome, to Sarah, meaning princess. Genesis 17:15,16 records this event: “And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai, thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.” The new names that God gave to Abraham and Sarah did not in itself change them. Rather, it reflected the change God was performing in them. It marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new life. Consider that Abraham was 99 years old when God gave him a new name, and Sarah was 90. If anyone’s life demonstrates that it’s never too late to change, it is the life of Abraham or Sarah.

We find another powerful example of God bestowing a new name in the story of Jacob. The name Jacob means supplanter, and it denoted the mischievousness of this man’s original character. In fact, when Jacob and his twin brother Esau were born, Jacob came out of the womb gripping Esau’s heel in his hand — demonstrating the intense competition that existed between the two brothers even while they were still in the womb. However, after Jacob’s encounter with the angel at Peniel, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.

Genesis 32:27 and 28 records: “And he [the angel] said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” The name Israel means one who is triumphant with God or one who prevails with God. Some scholars even translate it as God rules, God judges, or prince of God. Thus, it is clear that the new name, Israel, signified a moment of surrender in this man’s life and his character. Like Abraham and Sarah, the “new name” in itself didn’t change Jacob, but it marked the moment when one chapter permanently closed and a new chapter opened that would affect the entire history of mankind.

We can even see instances of new names that were bestowed upon individuals in the New Testament. First, there was Simon, whose name was changed to Peter after he had a revelation of Jesus Christ (see Matthew 16:18). The day Simon was given the new name Peter, which comes from the Greek word petra, for rock, marked a transformational moment in this disciple’s life. He is not remembered as Simon, but by his newly given name Peter.

We find a New Testament example in the story Saul of Tarsus. Prior to his conversion, Saul was an extremely arrogant man. To get a sense of how prideful he was before he came to Christ, we can look to his own words in Philippians 3:4, where he essentially stated that no one had more reason to boast in the natural than himself. However, at some point after his life-transforming experience with Jesus Christ, God changed his name from Saul to Paul, meaning small or humble. On the other side of his divine encounter on the road to Damascus, Saul was clothed with a new identity — and today we remember this apostle not as Saul of Tarsus, but by his new name Paul.

Then there is Joses — a Levite from Cyprus — who was an unknown believer until he gave a large financial contribution to the church in Jerusalem, which brought him to the attention of the apostles. They changed his name to Barnabas to reflect what he had become to them (see Acts 4:36,37). The name Barnabas meant encourager. The changing of Joses’ name didn’t change him, but it reflected a new status he had obtained as an “encouragement” to the apostles. Today he is not remembered as Joses of Cyprus, a name no one even recognizes, but by the new name bestowed upon him — Barnabas — a name that defined the gifts and calling God had placed on his life.

Each of the new names from these Old and New Testament examples marked new beginnings and profound changes of character in the lives of the individuals who received them. Likewise, we experienced a transformational shift in our lives when we surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus. Although our names might not have been legally changed, Jesus dramatically redefined our lives when we chose to follow Him — and we are not the same people we used to be!

Today as I wrote this Sparkling Gem, I asked my wife Denise, “If God gave you a new name to reflect who you are, what do you think your new name would be?” She reflected for a few moments and then answered, “If God gave me a new name, I think my name would be Redeemed!” What name do you think God would give you to describe who you are today in His eyes?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the transformational change You have worked in my life since I committed my life to Jesus. You have worked so many miracles in my life and changed me so much. I give you all the honor and glory for what you have done. When I think about how my life used to be and compare it to how my life is today, I cannot imagine living without You. Thank You for redeeming me, saving me from destruction, and giving me a new spiritual status in Your family!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I am totally different from how I used to be. Since I’ve committed myself wholly to Christ, He has worked miracles in my life and character. I thankfully confess that since I’ve belonged to Jesus, I’ve had multiple transformational moments in my life. The Holy Spirit is working inside me continuously — to change me and to take me to a higher dimension in every aspect of my life. If anyone needs to thank God for working miracles in his or her life, it’s certainly me! I thank You, Heavenly Father, for the dramatic changes that You have worked in me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

Can you think of anyone else in the Old or New Testament who had a name change that reflected a transformational moment in their lives?

If you were to receive a new name to describe who you are now, what do you think that name would be? What name do you think would describe you, your gifts, and your calling? What would you want that new name to reflect about you?

Can you think of five names that God calls us in the Bible? For example, the Bible calls you beloved (see Philippians 2:12) and called (see Romans 1:6). What other words does God use in the Bible to denote who you are since that transformational moment when you surrendered your life to Christ?

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superjournalslibrary-blog · 5 years

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How to Assess Your Readiness for Full-Time Ministry

As you get ready for the challenge of full-time ministry, you must ask yourself some questions. You must go through some issues in your heart and settle them forever.

Full-time ministry is not about finding a new job. It is not a career move. There are many better-paying jobs elsewhere. Full-time ministry is all about following God into the unknown. It is a walk of faith and faith is all about “things not seen”. I want to take you through a series of questions that you must ask yourself before you embark on something as challenging as full-time ministry.

Ten Questions to Ask Yourself Before Full-Time Ministry

1.Are you ready to leave familiar things behind?

Now the LORD said to Abram, Go forth from…your relatives Genesis 12:1, NASB

Are you ready to leave your old friends and acquaintances behind? Do they mean so much to you that you cannot do without them? I assure you that being in full-time ministry separates you from many familiar things. In full-time ministry your day off is usually on Monday. Most secular workers are at work on Monday morning. This reality will separate you from lay people and their lives.

2. Are you ready to leave your own country?

Now the LORD said to Abram, Go forth from your country, Genesis 12:1, NASB

It would appear that there is little need for full-time ministers. This seems to be the picture if we do not travel to other countries on Gospel missions. God’s command is for us to go to the uttermost parts of the earth. Thousands of full-time ministers are needed for the great commission.

If we are ready to go to the nations, there will never be enough people for full-time ministry. Ask yourself therefore, if you are ready to leave your country, region or neighbourhood. Going away from your country is a real option for anyone coming into full-time ministry.

3. Are you ready to break away from your father’s influence and provision?

Now the LORD said to Abram...Go forth from…your father’s house, Genesis 12:1, NASB

Are you ready to leave the influence of your home? Can you be free from your father’s influence, control and money? One day a prophet told me about a revelation he had had. It was about one of our lay pastors who had declined to come into full-time ministry.

The Vision

In the vision, this pastor was seen depending on his father to give him certain things like money, houses, inheritance, etc. This pastor did not want to do anything that would upset his father and so he rejected the offer to come into full-time ministry. In the vision, the father died but did not give his son any of the things he was expecting. The brother was very disappointed. He had sacrificed full-time ministry for an earthly inheritance that never materialized! How sad! You see, you must be ready to leave your father’s house and all its good things.They are all “dung” compared to the riches and rewards that Christ has for you.

4.Are you ready for uncertainty?

Now the LORD said to Abram, Go forth from…to the land which I will show you; Genesis 12:1, NASB

I get amused when people want to know details of what full-time ministry involves. They want to know what the offer is. Someone said his career progression in the ministry was not clear. Would he rise quickly from Zonal Pastor to Sub-District Pastor to District Pastor? How would he rise on the salary scale? By the way, is there a scale? Will I be in this office forever? Will I be transferred? Will I be able to do the work? Will I have a pension? Is there a retirement package? What about my children’s future? Where will they go to school? Will I have enough money to pay their fees? What will be my income and is it guaranteed? Sorry, not many answers for the son of man who has nowhere to lay his head!

5.Can you follow a mysterious mission, which has no details?

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, NOT KNOWING WHITHER HE WENT. Hebrews 11:8

How would Abraham become a great nation? What kind of blessings should Abraham expect and what do they entail? Do they include a financial package? God’s promises may sound vague. If you want details of what God has in store, you may not get them. When Paul was called to the ministry, the Lord told him very little. He could not know what to expect.

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and IT SHALL BE TOLD THEE WHAT THOU MUST DO. Acts 9:4-6

On the day of his encounter with the Lord, there were no details! The details came much later. And when the details came, they were scary! It was a mission of suffering! Wow!

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

FOR I WILL SHEW HIM HOW GREAT THINGS HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAME’S SAKE. Acts 9:10-16

Ananias was sent to tell Paul that he was being sent on a mission of suffering. Are you ready to follow something that has no detailed plan? Are you willing to follow something in which you will suffer?

6.Can you sojourn?

By faith HE SOJOURNED in the land of promise, as in a strange country...

Hebrews 11:9

There is a Greek word “paroikeo” translated “sojourn”. This word means to reside as a foreigner and to be a stranger. It is a very difficult thing to be a foreigner in a strange land. Much of God’s work today involves living as a stranger amongst people in order to save them.

Do not think that the era of mission work is past. It has just begun. The reason why many think there is nothing to do is because the concept of going into a strange land has been removed by our backslidden churches. Most pastors would not want to lose their prized members to a foreign land. No one thinks of sending people away.

We want to build one big mega church and huddle together! It is time to sojourn in a strange land for the sake of the Gospel.

7.Can you live in unsettled circumstances?

…DWELLING IN TABERNACLES with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: Hebrews 11:9

In the secular world, people love to establish themselves, build homes and settle down. The ministry is not like that. There is not much certainty about many things. You cannot settle down. You must be ready to dwell in tabernacles (tents) all your life.

Abraham dwelt in tents because his eye was fixed on something eternal. A twenty-five year mortgage will force you to remain in a particular city. Sometimes this kind of arrangement is not compatible with the uncertainty of full-time ministry. God may require you to move on at any time.

8.Can you make your whole family follow you into this adventure?

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD... Genesis 18:19

It is important that you bring your family along this road. Some spouses totally reject the uncertainty of it all. I have seen wives who refused to go along with their husbands. A wise man will not marry someone who shows signs of allergy to uncertainty.

The Ordination Service

Many years ago, I attended an ordination service in my city. The pastor preached powerfully and then told the story of how his wife had deserted him. He said, “One day I came back from a ministry trip and my wife said, ‘I can’t take this anymore’.” She declared, “I want a normal husband and a normal home. I am tired of this kind of life.” She went on, “I want a husband who comes home at five o’clock. I want to be like every other person. I can’t stay here waiting for days for my husband to come home.” She warned him, “If you don’t change I’m out of this marriage and you will have to find yourself another wife.”

As he ministered, he began to cry and told us how his wife eventually left him. It was very sad, and we all felt like crying. But he ended by saying he was not prepared to sacrifice his ministry for his wife’s desires.

Dear friend, such is the reality of ministry. Can you make your whole household follow you on this perilous and uncertain journey? 9.Can you look for a city with foundations?

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 11:10

Full-time ministry is all about seeking spiritual realities. We are talking about a city with foundations.

Cities like Accra, New York City, Toronto, Paris, London, Lagos, Johannesburg and Nairobi are merely cities without foundations. Sadly, most Christians are in love with these cities that have no foundations! Christians love to write their addresses and to say they live on Martin Luther Boulevard, in Los Angeles or in Birmingham.

They don’t want to be associated with despised places. They would not want anyone to know that they go to church at Kpakpo Brown Road or Ama Badua Street in Korle-Gonno.

Dear friend, neither Martin Luther Boulevard nor Kpakpo Brown Road has a foundation. It is time to lift up your eyes and see the eternal cities that have foundations. Be prepared to go anywhere because all earthly cities have no foundation anyway.

10.Can you give up your Isaac?

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. Genesis 22:2

Isaac is the precious thing in your life. What is precious to you? Is it your job? Is it your school? Is it your beloved? Is it your lifestyle? Is it your career? Is it your American citizenship? Is it your British citizenship? Is it living in South Africa? Is it living in London?

What do you love so much? Is it your child? Is it your status in this life? Is it your security?

Don’t Let Him Get Close

One day, some ladies were chatting. They discussed a brother who had recently left his high-earning job to come into full-time ministry. They were amazed that he could take such a decision. They said to each other, “As for me, I would not like my husband to get near the Bishop. Everybody who becomes his friend ends up in full-time ministry! His influence is too strong.” They continued discussing, “I don’t know how the wife and family will cope with this full-time thing.”

Their conclusion was simple, “I really don’t want my husband to go near that man.”

These women were worried for their own security. The jobs their husbands had and the luxuries they provided meant everything to them. Is it too precious to sacrifice? Full-time ministry means that you leave behind the most precious things of your life.

Before you come into full-time ministry, go through these ten questions. It is an important pre-departure checklist. They will help you to be ready for life in the ministry.

by Dag Heward-Mills

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queerprayers · 1 year

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do you have any advice on picking a good new name for oneself? i don't feel connected to my current one and would like a more spiritual one but i don't know how to pick the "right" one

Hi, beloved! You asked this ages ago so it's very possible this is no longer relevant to you. If you have one—congratulations on the new name! Either way, I'll answer, hoping I can help you or perhaps someone else who's thinking about this!

Name changing happens often in the Bible—it's usually symbolic in some way, and often very dependent on the meaning of the name. Abraham (formerly Abram) and Israel (formerly Jacob) both have their names changed in an encounter with God and an angel(? debatable), respectively; Jesus renames Simon "Cephas/Peter," which means "rock;" Saul starts being addressed as Paul (the Latinized version of his Hebrew name) as he becomes more active in Christian communities and leaves Judaism further behind. People entering monasteries/convents often pick a new name, and Catholics traditionally choose a saint's name for their confirmation. You have lots of holy company, is what I'm trying to say!

Finding a name in the Bible could be your place to start—I love the figure in Luke's gospel I'm named after, and her calling as a myrrh-bearer inspires me immensely. If there's a figure that's close to your heart, who mirrors your journey, who you aspire to follow, you could choose their name, especially if you connect with its meaning! This website lists Biblical names/origins—it doesn't seem to include sources, so I can't verify every single one (maybe check another source to be sure about something), but from skimming it it looks useful/accurate!

As I mentioned, choosing a saint name is also very common—and there are tons to choose from! Even if you're not Catholic and whatever your theology about saints, people who Christian communities remember and honor can give you inspiration and meaning. Catholic.org and Wikipedia both have pretty exhaustive lists—you could narrow it down by thinking about time periods, patronage, location, tradition, or anything else that's meaningful/relevant to you.

Naming a child with a family/cultural name is obviously common, and that could be something you do for yourself as well! Connecting with your ancestors/communities could help you feel more connected to yourself.

I've mentioned it, but a lot of people think about the meanings of names. There's tons of iffy information out there, so I would recommend looking at multiple sources (I know this because I used to use baby name websites to name fictional characters, and some of them were just completely contradictory!). There are biblical concepts, like Sophia/Wisdom, but you could think about any concept/value/theology you connect with and go from there.

Any decision can be spiritual when we approach it purposefully, and I think any name could be spiritual if you find meaning in it. I can't promise there's one "right" name—the people I know who found new names took time and tried some out along the way. It might be more of a choice, a mindful acceptance, rather than a lightning bolt out of the sky moment of resurrection. You also don't have to have a deep connection with a name—you've said you want one, so of course I support that, but it's not, like, wrong to just… have a name. (If you're reading this and you've never thought about your name/its meaning in your life, I support you.) However it works out, I wish you (and anyone else thinking about this) courage and curiosity as you seek out a new identity.

The thought I leave you with is this (if you'd like it): God calls us by name—sometimes that's the moment we see Them fully. What name do you want God to call, what name would wake you from sleep and cause you to genuinely respond with, "Here I am; you called me"?

<3 Johanna

P.S. I found two prayer rituals for renaming while looking around, and I thought I'd link them—one of them is specifically for gender transition, but parts of it could be meaningful for anyone!

Unitarian Universalist Transgender Renaming Ceremony

Episcopal Service of Renaming from The Book of Occasional Services (pg. 120)

#asks

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