What’s in a name?

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.

INTRODUCTION

Good morning, Southpointe!! I am glad to be back home! It has been a very exciting week! Well, if you don’t know we are grandparents again.

Show the picture of Conner

5 lbs 15 oz and 19 inches. He has been in Nicu all this time but getting better and better every day.

Tell about no visitors>>>

But before this happened I was looking at stuff about names. what's in a name?

A name is the blueprint of the thing we call character. You ask, What’s in a name? I answer, just about everything you do.

Conner--- means one who is wise and strong will.

In the Biblical days, the names meant so much.

If you study the Word of God than you will see the names in the Bible also show the plan of God.

Here in our text, we find Abram had reached another important crises in his life.

Here is a summary of God’s plan of redemption hidden here within Genesis 5.

Hebrew English

Adam Man

Seth Appointed

Enosh Mortal

Kenan Sorrow

Mahalalel The Blessed God

Jared Shall come down

Enoch Teaching

Methuselah His death shall bring

Lamech The despairing

Noah Rest or comfort

If you follow thru out the bible names are important.

Here in our text, we find Abram had reached another important crises in his life.

Abram was 75 years old when God called him to leave his home and family and to march out on the highway of faith.

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father' family, and go to the land that I will show you.

I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you."

So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

So then we see God made a covenant with Abram that he would have a son, and sacrifices were made an agreement was made between God and Abram that a son would be born to him.

God made a covenant with Abram that he would have a son, and sacrifices were made an agreement was made between God and Abram that a son would be born to him.

But Abram in a split moment change things: Abram agree on Sarai offer to take Hagar and for them to have son thru her. Instead of waiting on God.

Warren Buffet said it takes 20 years to build a reputation and it take 5 minutes to ruin it.

How important is your reputation or your name. How much is your reputation or name worth to you? This is what King Solomon said:

Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.

A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.

I believe that God give us a name which stand for what He has planned for us to be.

But I also believe that we build our reputation by the decision we make.

I know that we all have these big decision that we have to make in life, like who we are going to marry, what type of profession are we going to work at, are we going to have children, how many?

Those are very important but I have found that it’s those small, every day decisions that really build our character.

And those decisions are what really define us. Our character build our reputation or our name.

You see the defining aspect of character is the ability to make courageous choices at any given time.

Do we choose basically on: convenience, conviction, pressure or principle?

If we don’t stand on our conviction and principles and let pressure and convenience get us then it will lead to a life of “If only”

And a life of “if only” bring us to living with remorse and regrets.

Here in our story: dealing with Abram and Sarai

Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.

Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.

Thirteen years pass and rebellion, Abram turned aside from the path of faith and when away from his conviction and principles and let the pressure and convenience do a number on him.

Abram had taken Sarai up on her suggestion and had a child with Hagar.

This is a very important thing to remember, 13 years had passed Abram was 86 years old when Ishmael was born.

In those 13 years total silence, it was a blank period of spiritual barrenness. It was a season which brought forward nothing but wood, hay and stubble.

Some times a quick decision will define us for the rest of our lives.

I wish, I would have not but I did and now what?

My relationship with God is messed up, my relationship with my spouse is messed up, my relationship with my children is messed up and my relationship with my job is messed up.

Not saying it can’t be taken care of, but blank period of spiritual barrenness. A season that produce nothing but wood, hay and stubble. Just because of the quick decision that is driven by:

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Now Abram has been define by that decision: Ishamael

Now Abram has been define by that decision: Ishamael

Ishamaels that we have in our life>>

There a old saying: Do not say something we do not want to be heard for in the end it will be heard.

No action is private every choice we make reflect on our past and determine our future.

Frank Outlaw said: Watch your thoughts for they become words, watch your words for they become actions, watch your actions for they become habits, watch your habits for they become your character and watch your character because it will become your destiny.

Only when you know your values can you live them.

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

To know your values, if your values are base on the God: you must believe in Christ Jesus, you must be in His word, in being in His Word means being obeying to His Word and you become His disciple and you will know the truth and be free.

Many believe but don’t get into the Word of God and because you don’t get into the Word of God care enough to read and study it and you sure can’t obey something that you don’t and then you will not know the truth and you will not be set free.

So you will operate on the values of the world and not on kingdom values.

In other words we operate on our self value>

It is so easy to walk that life of self and thinking that we are doing right, in a sense like Abram and Sarai.

  Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 

  So Sarai said to Abram, “The LORD has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 

It is not always because you just intended to rebel against God and His plan for you.

But you messed up!!

Some times we think we are doing right but we are operating on our fleshly desires and emotions.

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Abram and Sarai was just maybe in their own eyes help God, but really they were not trusting God.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

When we make bad decisions and don’t put our trust in God’s plan and direction then we will find death. Death to the promise, death to the dream, death to our hope for something better.

So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.

Then Sarai said to Abram, "This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she's pregnant she treats me with contempt. The LORD will show who's wrong—you or me!"

Abram replied, "Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit." Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.

But thank God for His grace.

But thank God for His grace, when we come to Him.

Another 13 years had passed before God had spoken to Abram, disobedient bring separation. Remember Abram was 86 years old after his last encounter with God. And now Abram is 99 years old.

But God and His love and grace.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am El-Shaddai—'God Almighty.' Serve Me faithfully and live a blameless life.

I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants."

At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him,

"This is My covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations!

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.

Few things to look at here:

God told Abram to serve Him faithfully and live a blameless life.

I will make a covenant with you.

Abram fell face down. (Humility and repentance.)

God changes Abram’s name to Abraham.

Abram in Hebrew means high father, father of height or literally mean exalt self.

Abraham in Hebrew meaning was father of multitude.

God gives us a new name, not that of the past and what are bad decisions declares that we are but what God declares us to be>

I AM - A child of God!

I AM - Forgiven!

I AM-- A new Creature!

I AM--A son of God!

I AM - Redeemed!

I AM--An heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus!

I AM--An imitator of Jesus!

I AM— Blessed!

I AM— Healed!

Yes, There is

What is in a name? Everything.

What name are you living by?