What is in a Name?

A lot of times when you read the genealogy in the Bible, you kind of gloss it over.  So and so became the father of so and so, etc.  Now genealogy is really important especially when you are looking at lineage.  The Messiah needs to come from a certain line; from King David as stated in Matthew 1 and Luke 3:23-38.

A friend of mine sent me a link regarding the genealogy of Genesis 5.  As you look at the definitions of the first 10 fathers names, from Adam to Noah, you discover there is somewhat of a hidden message.  Below is a list of those names and their definitions:

• 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 Dispairing
• Noah – Rest or Comfort
  

Sounds like a summary of God’s plan of redemption, hidden here within a genealogy in Genesis!

Source of where I got this information, click here.

Book Review: Rethinking the Will of God by Frank Viola

Every now and then you come across a book by “mistake” that ends up making a profound impact on you.  That just happened to me with a free ebook titled, Rethinking the Will of God by Frank Viola.

Rethinking the Will of God, challenges ones understanding of God’s Will.  Typically, Christians are told that God has a perfect purpose and plan for their lives and if we miss the mark, our lives may just end up going in the dumps.  What if, like in a parking lot, we had several choices and yet each of our choices would still be in God’s Will?  Wouldn’t that be a little liberating?  Freeing?

This quick-read ebook does just that, explains that we actually do have choices and are still in God’s Will.  Some decisions may be more wise than others.  For instance, it is pouring outside and you decide to park in the furthest location when a much closer spot is open.  But you know, as long as you stay within the boundaries of the parking lot, you are ok; you are still in God’s Will!

I want to encourage you to take the challenge to rethink the will of God and download this incredible ebook.  You will not be disappointed.

The First 45 Days

At the beginning of 2009, my wife and I made the decision to leave the traditional Sunday morning church services.  This was not a knee-jerk reaction, but one decision made through prayer over months.  I have no doubt in my mind that our decision is the correct one, though it has caused me to ask more questions.

At one social site I posted this comment, “How do you deprogram what you have known ‘as church’ for over 40 years?  It is quite a major paradigm shift.  I’ve stopped attending Sunday morning church services and the checkmarks (read Bible daily, pray a little, etc) are gone.  Not saying that I don’t read the Bible anymore, because I am reading it chronologically though.  I just haven’t put on the ‘Christian’ expectations; I need to do this and I need to do that so that I am ‘good to go’. Trying to follow Jesus as a lifestyle rather than be a part of a denomination. Trying to live one day at a time.”

And the beauty of it all, I have no regrets!

Is God a GPS?

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are very popular.  There are a wide variety of GPS receivers available at a fairly reasonable price.  A GPS receiver calculates its position by precisely timing the signals sent by the GPS satellites high above the Earth.  For the traveling salesman, they are essential.

The other day I was in my friends vehicle which had a GPS receiver.  He entered in the address we were heading to and the system calculated the path we were to take.  It did not list out all the directions on where to go rather gave directions one turn at a time; basically an arrow on the street as to where to head.  As we drove and got close to the next turn, the system would audibly alert of what direction we need to turn next.  We took the turn and when we got close to the next turn, we were alerted again.  It was amazingly accurate.  We got to our destination with no problems.

Now, I got a little curious.  I asked him to put in another address.  As we began our journey, I asked him to not obey the directions.  Sometimes he would not turn or would turn the opposite direction.  The unit recognized the “mistake”, recalculated another path, and proceeded to give new directions.  Eventually we had enough and we ultimately still got to our destination, though obviously, a little longer than it should have been.

This got me thinking.  We are always wanting to know God’s Will for our life.  We want details, tell us audibly on where to go, etc.  In Genesis 12:1, “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.‘” Abram didn’t get step by step directions from God, just a command to leave and go.  Later in that chapter is states that Abram left as the Lord had directed him.  It seems like God works like a GPS unit.  He may not tell us the whole path we are going to take, but only one step at a time; in Abram’s case to just go.  As we journey into God’s will, God may tell us turn several times very close to each other (turn at this corner, at that corner; like you are in a city), at other times we may need to stay straight on the path we are on for a long time (like on a highway).  If we don’t listen, the path will be recalculated.  Eventually as we listen and obey, we will get to the place we are to be, though it would not have been the best way if we had only listened and obeyed the directions when we were told.

Matthew 6:34
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.“ 

Sounds to me that we should not be concerned with the details, only focus on today; go one turn at a time.