What is Your Name?

We all remember the story of Jacob. After he had deceived his brother and father and stolen his brother's rightful blessing, he had to flee. After many years had passed, he returned with obvious fear, afraid of his brother who had become a powerful man. The night before he was to meet his brother, he sent his family across a brook to the other side and he remained alone - and that night he wrestled with God. When Jacob said "I will not let you go unless you bless me", God said the oddest thing; "What is your name?". Now there are a lot of things I'm not sure about, but I'm pretty sure that God knew what his name was. So why did He ask that? Because He wanted Jacob to confess who he really was - "My name is Deceiver".

Names don't mean as much today, but back then your name defined you. I'm sure it was not easy being tagged as "Deceiver" your whole life. Most people live up to what is expected of them, and that's probably what Jacob did. He lived up to that name and became a deceiver. But because Jacob was honest and confessed who he was, God not only blessed him but He also gave him a new name - Israel. God conferred upon him not just a new name, but a new identity. He was no longer a deceiver, but he was now Israel, a Prince with God.

What does God want from me, from us? Yes, He wants my love and my obedience, but he also wants me to be honest with myself and with Him. To confess who we really are. The psalmist put it like this:

Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, Psalms 51:6

If we'll do that, really be honest with ourselves and Him, then He is able to confer upon us a new identity. It's called repentance, and without it we cannot be forgiven.

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” - Jesus Christ

A Box of Chocolates

As the great philosopher Forrest Gump once said, "Life is like a box of chocolates". I think he meant that you never know what you are going to get. But the other thing about a box of chocolates is there are always going to be some that you like and others (the ones with the squishy stuff in the middle) that you don't like. So you eat the ones you like and leave the ones you don't like alone.

There have been times in my life where I've looked at Christianity the same way. I've read the commandments of Jesus and then treated them like a box of chocolates. I obeyed the easier ones, the ones I liked, the ones I agreed with. But there were always those that I didn't like. You know the ones I'm talking about. The commands that make us a little uncomfortable. The ones that just seem too hard to obey.

"When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." - Jesus Christ

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. - Jesus Christ

"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." - Apostle Paul

"If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to that person; then come and offer your gift."- Jesus Christ

Those commands I left alone. I didn't choose to disobey them, but at the same time I did not strive to obey them either. But I don't want to do that anymore. The commandments of Christ are not a box of chocolates or a buffet lunch. I don't have the option of choosing which ones to obey. I'm required to do my best to obey all of them.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote the blog "Run to Win". I don't want to run this race anymore just being content with finishing. I want to win - to obtain the prize. In order to do that I've got to change some things. One of those things I need to change is my obedience to His commands. It won't be easy, but anything worthwhile never is.

"If you love me, keep my commands." - Jesus Christ

"We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Those who say, 'I know him,' but do not do what he commands are liars, and the truth is not in them. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." - Apostle John

Death is Dead

I got an Ipod for Christmas - 45 years old and I finally got on board. I wanted it so that I could download and listen to sermons and audio books and that's what I've been doing. Recently I downloaded a "Sermon Jam" by Ravi Zacharias. Now, if you don't know what a sermon jam is don't feel bad - I didn't either. But I really like Ravi Zacharias so I tried it. If you'd like to listen, you can download it free here (just right-click on the link below and select "Save Target As"). Trust me - you won't be disappointed.

http://www.relevantrevolution.com/mp3/ravi-lord.mp3

In it, he shares the following:

“Have you ever wondered what you would do to frighten Lazarus after he’d been raised from the dead? What would you do to threaten him? Lazarus, I’m gonna’ kill you? Caligula says, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ Lazarus says, ‘Ha, ha, ha.’ Caligula says ‘stop ha, ha, ha-ing. I’m going to kill you as I’m killing all the Christians.’ Lazarus doubles over in uncontrollable laughter, comes up for air and says, ‘Caligula haven’t you heard? Death is dead! Death is dead!!'

How do you frighten somebody who has already been there and knows the one who’s going to let him out?

But just think, of stepping on shore and finding perfection - of touching a hand, and finding it God's hand - of breathing new air and finding it celestial - of waking up in Glory, and finding it home.

Ladies and gentlemen, your hope and mine in Christ, is that one day we will be with God - one day, we will be with Him."

I was listening to this on the airplane on the way home from the funeral last week. Obviously, death was on my mind - I was sorrowful and death seemed the enemy. But as I listened to this, my perspective changed. Death is not the end - it's just the beginning. In fact, it's the beginning of our real life - our eternal life. Our time here on earth is just a prelude to eternity. I love how C.S. Lewis put it in his children's book The Last Battle:

And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.

Death's hold on us is its fear, but as Christians that fear is gone. So just remember - our life here is just the cover and the title page. When we see Him, every chapter will be better than the one before.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 1Corinthians 15:54

"Thanks for Loving Me"

I just returned today from a funeral. My uncle (Dave Edmondson - 69) and his grandson (Noah Pell - 9) were both drowned in a boating accident in McKinney, Texas this past Saturday. My uncle loved to fish and he also loved spending time with his grandkids. This past weekend he was doing the two things he loved the most when their canoe capsized on Lake Lavon. They found them both with their life vests still on. It was a quick trip out to Dallas to attend the funeral and spend time with the family, but during the last few days I have had so much running through my mind that I just wanted to get some things in writing.

• Please pray for the Edmondson and Pell families. They are Christians, but there is a hard road to walk ahead of them.

• Family is so important. Sometime we take them for granted, thinking that they will always be there. But each of us could be gone in an instant. So take time today to tell your family how much you love them. Spend as much time with them as you can. Love them with all your heart. And when you do fight, don't let the sun go down on your anger. Make up and move on. If a part of your family lives far away, make sure you see them when you can. Stay in touch as best you can via phone calls and emails. When they are gone, there won't be another chance.

• During times of grief and mourning, having your family there is irreplaceable. Friends are great, we need them and we love them. But there is something about family that you just can't replace. There is a bond there that is different than other relationships, and you really see it during a time like this. So be there for your family.
  
  
• They held a double funeral on Tuesday. As you can imagine, it was not easy for the families. But the pastor, I believe his name was Jim Lewis, just did a wonderful job. It was probably one of the best sermons I've ever heard. Noah was in the fourth grade, and his entire class came to the funeral. There was standing room only so they had the kids sit on the floor up front. The pastor took his podium, moved it over to where the kids were sitting and spoke directly to them. His message? There are mysteries in life, things we can't and don't understand. But in times like this we hang on to to what we do know - and what we know is that God is good and we can trust Him. That is a good message for all of us.
  
  
• Noah was only 9 and loved baseball. They buried him in his uniform, and some of his teammates wore their uniforms to the service. They signed a baseball and put it in the casket with him. They buried him with those and others of his favorite things. As you looked at that you couldn't help thinking how unfair it is for a life like that to get cut so short. But Pastor Lewis said something that I'll never forget - that God is sovereign, and Noah had fulfilled his purpose. I believe that. I don't understand it, but I believe it.
  
  
• The pastor preached the funeral using Uncle Dave's bible, which was worn out from use. I was going to add some more here - but what else needs to be said?
  
  
• In Uncle Dave's casket they placed several of his favorite things, including a fishing rod and some cartoon characters that he collected. As I stood there looking at the different items, I noticed a yellow post-it note that someone had scribbled on and placed in the casket. There was no name, and it only held a simple message - only 4 words. As I went back to the hotel room that night, I was watching the news. There was a man on there - a politician - who had already built himself a huge marble mausoleum with his name engraved in large letters. On the mausoleum he had engraved all of his political accomplishments - a lasting monument to himself. And as I watched that I had to laugh out loud at the absurdity of it, because that monument with it's list of accomplishments could not hold a candle to a simple yellow post-it note that summed up a life lived well:

" Thanks for Loving Me"

• One final thought. I'm so glad that we are Christians. I'm so thankful that Jesus rose from that grave. Because of that we know we will see Dave and Noah again. Even in a time like this, a time so full of sorrow and hurt - we don't have to sorrow as those who have no hope. As the pastor said at the graveside, there will be a resurrection one day on that very spot - and what a day that will be!

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17