Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Your New Identity Is Your New Identification



     Does anybody you know give out nicknames? Melissa’s dad gave his grandkids nicknames. “Scooter” because Rachel would scoot along rather than crawl, “Hannah Banana” because it rhymed and that’s what Grandma called her, “Mar mar” because older “Bubba” couldn’t say Marshall, and “Top Cat” because of Terrynce Caleb’s initials (and Granddad’s brother first called him that).

     Maybe somebody in your family makes up nicknames. When we get into a relationship with God, he doesn’t give us a nickname, he gives us a new name. Your name is your identification and God not only gives you a new identity but a new way of identifying just who and whose you are. You belong to God!

     Isaiah 62:2 says “You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name.”

     Revelation 2:17 and 3:12 says this: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it…  12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”

    I think it is so wonderful God gave so many people new names, not just Abram and Sarai, but Simon became Peter, Saul became Paul. Can you believe it but God has a new name for you when you get to heaven. You have a new identity and it is yours for the taking!!

    There is a song by Matthew West which has the following chorus:

Hello, my name is child of the one true King
I’ve been saved, I’ve been changed, I have been set free
"Amazing Grace" is the song I sing
Hello, my name is child of the one true King
 

Whoa oh ah oh ah oh oh
Whoa oh ah oh ah oh oh
Whoa oh ah oh ah oh oh  

    Whoops, sorry, I got a little carried away after listening to that song about four times as inspiration to this article. Rather than just reading the lyrics, go listen to the song yourself by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page and rejoice in your new identity in Christ. And remember this: God loves you just the way you are but He loves you too much to leave you just the way you are.
    Your new identity will be revealed as you believe and become more like Christ.
 
Listen to Matthew West's Hello My Name Is...