TheBETTERLife Post
Week of March 9-14, 2015
NAMES, BRANDS AND IDENTITY THEFT
How was your weekend? I hope you enjoyed a good church service yesterday and you are refreshed and recharged for the new week :)
In this week's edition of THE BETTER LIFE POST, I am sharing with you my thoughts on how to make your life count and avoid identity theft in a world where everyone seems to be all about names and brands.
Let me say right off the hub that NAME is important and brand is good.
When we meet a person for the first time the first question we ask them is "what is your name?
When a child is born, well wishers will usually ask the parents for the child's name.
When we receive an email or some memo, the first thing we do is check the name of the sender or the person giving the instruction.
We validate the authenticity of a contract by checking the signing authorities.
We buy certain brands because of the name and seal of authenticity.
If you are a follower of Christ like me, you know that the real power and authority in prayer is the powerful name of Jesus
At the mention of the name Jesus, angels in heaven bow and demons in hell tremble.
You see, without a name a lot will go wrong with our everyday life. Your name is your proof of identity, staff of authority, seal of authenticity and access to divine prosperity.
That is why most people have a strong desire to make name for themselves. And that desire is not new. It has been there since the early days of humans on earth when the existing world leaders gathered together and declared: "Let us make a name for ourselves" Gen 11:4
Today, the search for a name manifests itself in various ways. The crave for money, power and popularity is really just a search for a name. We want to be known as the richest, the most powerful and the most popular.
But we know that not every name carries true identity. Not all names commands authority. Not every name is valid and we cannot pray to God in just about any name. In our search for a name we could have our identity stolen. Therefore, the first question to ask ourselves is: which name defines me most accurately? How might I answer my name so that I do not loose my identity?
ONLY ONE IS REAL
Everyone uses four names in his life time.
Before you were born, God gave you a name. When you were born, your parents gave you a name. In the course of your life, you give yourself a name. After you are dead or gone, the world will give you a name.
But only one of these is your real name and that is the name God gave you before you were born. That is the same name that Life is asking you to answer before you leave this earth.
After our parents have named and Christened us,
After we have had our chance to tell the world what we wished to be called,
After we have lived and our lifeless bodies lie restfully and motionless in a casket unable to say our name,
After eulogies from families and friends tell families and friends who they think we were,
After the world has immortalized us and given us names in the list of honour and world heroes,
There, really, is only one question that God would ask each of us: did you answer the name I gave you or did you give yourself some another name? Did you fulfil the purpose for which I created you or did you follow the trend of the world to a destination of your choice?
YOUR REAL NAME IS TIED TO YOUR PURPOSE.
"And she shall bring forth a son and you shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matt 1:21)
The only thing that defines us most accurately is God's intended purpose for our lives. God, the creator names everyone by the very purpose for what he created them. He said: "before I formed you in your mothers womb I ordained you" (Jeremiah 1:5). In other words, I gave you a name and designation in line with my purpose for your life.
The only thing that defines us most accurately is God's intended purpose for our lives. If you want to know God's ultimate purpose for your life, find out what he calls you. If you know what he calls you, you can tell what he wants you to do. God, the creator names everyone by the very purpose for what he created them.
Therefore, no matter the name our parents called us, no matter what we call ourselves and no matter what the world calls us in the end, it is what God calls us that matters.
Remember, there is no fulfilment without purpose. A fulfilled life is one that achieves its intended purpose. Just as salt becomes waste if it looses taste so a life becomes waste of it looses purpose. Each o us was sent to the world to fulfil a purpose. We did not get here by accident, no matter the circumstances surrounding our birth.
Yes, our parents may name us by the prevailing circumstances surrounding our birth but circumstances don't define us. We may name ourselves by what we have done, doing or hope to do but accomplishment don't define us. The world may name us by the contributions we have made but our contribution will not always match the solution we were meant to provide.
GOD HAS A NAME FOR YOU.
God has purpose-driven names for all followers of Christ. God calls us LIGHT in a dark world. He calls us SALT in a bitter world. He calls us FISHERS of men in world of satanic predators. He calls us SAVIOURS to sinners who may be our friends, families, colleagues, neighbours and strangers. In God's eyes, we are in the world as AMBASSADORS of Christ. Everything else such as business, relationship, career, health, money, position are added wages and benefits to help us be effective ambassadors of Christ. Choose to the cake and not just the icing.
If you have not received the Lord Jesus as your saviour, I invite you to receive the greatest gift of all: LIFE in Christ. This life is better than all others. To receive the life of Christ, simply say with your mouth that Jesus is lord and sincerely believe in your heart that he died for your sins and that God raised him from the dead. That's it, you are saved. Now look for a bible church around you and live the rest of your life fulfilling Gods purpose for you.
Till next week, choose to live better this week by answering the name that God called you. Enjoy!
From the series: WHAT IS YOUR NAME? By Peter Okaka. Freshwater Christian House in Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario.
Week of March 9-14, 2015
NAMES, BRANDS AND IDENTITY THEFT
How was your weekend? I hope you enjoyed a good church service yesterday and you are refreshed and recharged for the new week :)
In this week's edition of THE BETTER LIFE POST, I am sharing with you my thoughts on how to make your life count and avoid identity theft in a world where everyone seems to be all about names and brands.
Let me say right off the hub that NAME is important and brand is good.
When we meet a person for the first time the first question we ask them is "what is your name?
When a child is born, well wishers will usually ask the parents for the child's name.
When we receive an email or some memo, the first thing we do is check the name of the sender or the person giving the instruction.
We validate the authenticity of a contract by checking the signing authorities.
We buy certain brands because of the name and seal of authenticity.
If you are a follower of Christ like me, you know that the real power and authority in prayer is the powerful name of Jesus
At the mention of the name Jesus, angels in heaven bow and demons in hell tremble.
You see, without a name a lot will go wrong with our everyday life. Your name is your proof of identity, staff of authority, seal of authenticity and access to divine prosperity.
That is why most people have a strong desire to make name for themselves. And that desire is not new. It has been there since the early days of humans on earth when the existing world leaders gathered together and declared: "Let us make a name for ourselves" Gen 11:4
Today, the search for a name manifests itself in various ways. The crave for money, power and popularity is really just a search for a name. We want to be known as the richest, the most powerful and the most popular.
But we know that not every name carries true identity. Not all names commands authority. Not every name is valid and we cannot pray to God in just about any name. In our search for a name we could have our identity stolen. Therefore, the first question to ask ourselves is: which name defines me most accurately? How might I answer my name so that I do not loose my identity?
ONLY ONE IS REAL
Everyone uses four names in his life time.
Before you were born, God gave you a name. When you were born, your parents gave you a name. In the course of your life, you give yourself a name. After you are dead or gone, the world will give you a name.
But only one of these is your real name and that is the name God gave you before you were born. That is the same name that Life is asking you to answer before you leave this earth.
After our parents have named and Christened us,
After we have had our chance to tell the world what we wished to be called,
After we have lived and our lifeless bodies lie restfully and motionless in a casket unable to say our name,
After eulogies from families and friends tell families and friends who they think we were,
After the world has immortalized us and given us names in the list of honour and world heroes,
There, really, is only one question that God would ask each of us: did you answer the name I gave you or did you give yourself some another name? Did you fulfil the purpose for which I created you or did you follow the trend of the world to a destination of your choice?
YOUR REAL NAME IS TIED TO YOUR PURPOSE.
"And she shall bring forth a son and you shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matt 1:21)
The only thing that defines us most accurately is God's intended purpose for our lives. God, the creator names everyone by the very purpose for what he created them. He said: "before I formed you in your mothers womb I ordained you" (Jeremiah 1:5). In other words, I gave you a name and designation in line with my purpose for your life.
The only thing that defines us most accurately is God's intended purpose for our lives. If you want to know God's ultimate purpose for your life, find out what he calls you. If you know what he calls you, you can tell what he wants you to do. God, the creator names everyone by the very purpose for what he created them.
Therefore, no matter the name our parents called us, no matter what we call ourselves and no matter what the world calls us in the end, it is what God calls us that matters.
Remember, there is no fulfilment without purpose. A fulfilled life is one that achieves its intended purpose. Just as salt becomes waste if it looses taste so a life becomes waste of it looses purpose. Each o us was sent to the world to fulfil a purpose. We did not get here by accident, no matter the circumstances surrounding our birth.
Yes, our parents may name us by the prevailing circumstances surrounding our birth but circumstances don't define us. We may name ourselves by what we have done, doing or hope to do but accomplishment don't define us. The world may name us by the contributions we have made but our contribution will not always match the solution we were meant to provide.
GOD HAS A NAME FOR YOU.
God has purpose-driven names for all followers of Christ. God calls us LIGHT in a dark world. He calls us SALT in a bitter world. He calls us FISHERS of men in world of satanic predators. He calls us SAVIOURS to sinners who may be our friends, families, colleagues, neighbours and strangers. In God's eyes, we are in the world as AMBASSADORS of Christ. Everything else such as business, relationship, career, health, money, position are added wages and benefits to help us be effective ambassadors of Christ. Choose to the cake and not just the icing.
If you have not received the Lord Jesus as your saviour, I invite you to receive the greatest gift of all: LIFE in Christ. This life is better than all others. To receive the life of Christ, simply say with your mouth that Jesus is lord and sincerely believe in your heart that he died for your sins and that God raised him from the dead. That's it, you are saved. Now look for a bible church around you and live the rest of your life fulfilling Gods purpose for you.
Till next week, choose to live better this week by answering the name that God called you. Enjoy!
From the series: WHAT IS YOUR NAME? By Peter Okaka. Freshwater Christian House in Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario.
