Day 229- A Name First

Today was homecoming at Hopewell.  We (our church) are 156 years old today. We look much younger than that.  We had a dear friend of Hopewell named Richard come and preach today.  God has used him greatly to speak to Hopewell and did again today. Afterwards, we had lunch at the church.  It was a pretty cool day.

Tomorrow, our children start school.  It's been a busy day and not much time for a "first." So, I took a silly quiz that is supposed to tell me what my nickname should be.  Almost everyone calls me Barry. I'm not a big nickname guy.  I have been called Brother B. I preached on hell one time (more than once but this one particular time) and a buddy started calling me brimstone Barry.  When I was in college some friends called me Slick.  Don't ask.  As a kid, I had buck teeth and occasionally someone called me Bucky.  A fight usually ensued soon after. I hated, as in loathed, that name.

I took an online quiz to find out my nickname.  It suggested Goober. Really?  Is that the best you can do?  So, I took another quiz and got Spanky. Seriously?  I did another one hoping for better results. I got Disco Potato. That doesn't even make sense. I probably should have left that one off the blog.  Who makes this quizzes up? Another one said Bobby.  That's not a nickname; that's a name. I tried one more and it said I should put moso on the end of my name.  I guess that would be Barrymoso.  I quit after that. Can you give a guy a break. I was hoping for something kind of unique and fun.  I mean, I'd be happy with Bubba or something after all of that.  Please just call me Barry.

Looking for a better name

The family's reactions to my nicknames

 

This got me to thinking about what God calls His children.  God has names for His followers in the Bible that describes who we are in Christ.  Neil Anderson compiled a list of these that encourage me.  Here are a few:

• I am God’s Child. (John 1:12)
• I am Christ’s friend. (John 15:15)
• I am a member of Christ’s body. (1 Cor 12:27)
• I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child. (Eph 1:3-8)
• I am complete in Christ. (Col 2:9-10)
• I am a citizen of Heaven. (Phil 3:20)
• I am the salt of the earth and light of the world. (Mat 5:13-14)
• I am a branch of the True Vine, and a channel of His life. (John 15:5)
• I am God’s temple. (1Cor 3:16)
• I am God’s co-worker. (1Cor 5:20)
• I am God’s workmanship. (Eph 2:10)
• I am a minister of reconciliation. (2 Cor 5:17-21)
• I am a saint, a holy one. (Eph 2:19)
• I am an ambassador for Christ. (2 Cor 5:20)

That beats Disco Potato all to pieces.  Here's the thing that is really powerful about these names. Nicknames are often given to us because of something we do.  God gives us a name because of who He has made us to be in Christ. Now, we are to live out who God has already made us to be.  We don't have to try to be God's child if we are saved.  We are so we should act like it.  If we are truly saved, we don't have to try to be a citizen of heaven, we already are so we should act like it.  We are the salt of the earth and light of the world so we should act like it. When we don't, we are acting like someone that we are not and that causes frustration and and sense of disconnect with who we really are. 

Be grateful for the name god has given you.  Let's live out who we are.

Grateful for my name in Christ
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. Bro. Richard Collier and his family
2. God's names for those who are His
3. God having a witness to Himself in this community for 156 years