Ch 6: A new name!

From the highest of the mountains I will shout ”You are my son

From the deepest of the seas I’ll proclaim “you are my beloved one”

As a thunder across the heavens I’ll declare “I’m pleased with you”

‘Cause you are mine –I have no one else like you

I sing you this song

To tell you are loved

Heaven rejoiced

When you were born

On the sunny watered field -I will sing you my song

 In the valley of death -I will walk next to you

When the waters overflow you –I will be your hiding place

‘Cause you are mine I have no one else like you.

I sing you this song…

If life gets unfair –don’t lose your sight

I’ll by your side everything will be alright

I’ve called you by name

“Son of my right hand”

A New name!

And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.

Rev 2:17

A white stone –with my own name written on it! This clarifies one fact about heaven: However, there will be table-cards!

If you don’t know what table-cards are, you have to get invited in some Scandinavian weddings sometime. The table cards are the external witness on how much time the newlyweds have had to plan their wedding. The more time, the more diligence is put in exactly the table-cards. The table cards, or name-cards, have very likely a personal touch on it, in order to express the design and beauty of their special wedding. Very likely, they are creative and of course –beautiful! And maybe some of them have been on a road trip to Denmark, and exactly; collected some white stones, which the Danish beaches are overflowing with. They may have glued them with some dry-flowers and imprinted the guest’s names with a golden pen, and carefully lined it out on the table according to where they want the guests to sit in order to enjoy their special day.

If it should happen, that some guests can’t find their names on any place in the mingling-time before dinner; it’s most likely not because the newlyweds have forgot about you. Usually, it’s because you have forgotten who you are in relation to the newlyweds! Maybe you were searching for your name; Mary-Liza, without being considering the fact that in this wedding, you are “Auntie Mary”. Or maybe you got confused that the place with the table-card “daddy” was occupied by your brother. But do not fear –all will get to their places in the end, you just have to remember about who you are in relation to the newlyweds! Don’t mess yourself at the place of grandma if you’re an auntie.

In the same way, there is a name you need to recognize yourself in, if you wants to enjoy the heavenly wedding, not only on heaven, but actually every day. God knows you, and has a name for you which is even more beautiful than the one your parents gave you, which explains who you are in relation to Him. I pray that you after been reading this chapter, will stop wandering around looking for yourself in the wrong places, but recognize your own stone –and get the heavenly party started right now!

Everything is done.

Everything your’re supposed to do in life is carefully planned by God, as it’s described in ephesians 2:10. Every day is ”the day that the Lord has made” (ps 118:24) God wants all of your days on earth to come to a “set table” (ps 23:5), without having to struggle or achieve, just to freely step into whatever He has prepared for you, whether it has to do with developing a new software for dentists, or if it has to do with searching the undergrounds of Bucharest for lost sheep, family life, church life, or so on.

The word of God actually says that what God has for us, is so finished, that he won’t bless us anymore- because Eph 1:3 says

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

The question will never be “What can I do in order for God to bless me more”, but “Where can I find all the blessings He already has given me?”

The question is allready solved in the end of the verse –”in Christ”.

Jesus Christ is the name on the table-card you have to be seated by in order to get all the blessings from heaven! In Christ you are blessed! In Christ you are healed. In Chris tare you delivered. In Christ you have a purpose for your life.

This applies not only to Heaven, because in Heaven, there are no longer need for blessings like healing, simply because sickness is no more. This applies to life here and now! And the name wich God appeals to you when He wants to show you where He has hidden all the blessings is the beautiful precious name Jesus Christ(Col 1:17)!

React!

I believe my classmates in secondary school had got hold on this revelation before me. There’s a lot to say about my lifestyle of evangelization in my teenagers, but there was for sure left no doubt if I loved Jesus or not. I loved Jesus! I loved to talk about Him to everyone I met. I took advantage of every single occasion, each writing assignment, each science, Norwegian, english, history, religion-class, break, gym-class to talk about Him. And as a result, my classmates gave me another nick-name; Jesus-Larsen. (Larsen was my sure-name before). Obviously, I didn’t react fast enough by being applied as Hanne-Mari as with the name Jesus. Because when the name of Jesus was mentioned somewhere I was, I paid full attention immediately! He was mine, and I belonged to Him. And resounding the name of Jesus, meant to me an opportunity to spread His kingdom! Possibly to pray for someone sick, to tell someone how precious they were in Gods eyes or maybe even get somebody saved for eternity.. However: it paid off!

A mini-Jesus.

The inhabbitants of our small village, knew obviously all how to nick-name our family. My Father grew up with the name “Reserve-Jesus”, I was "Jesus-Larsen". But according to my taste, my brother got the coolest nick name; Mini-Jesus! Why is this cool? Because the Bible says in acts 11:28 that this is exactly what we are. A Christian means literally “A small Christ” –Just like mini-Jesus.

A mini-Jesus is worthy to receive exactly the same treatment as the big Jesus. Hebr 2:11 says that

For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren

It’s extremely significant to understand that our new name is the same as Jesus. When God apply to you, He applies you exactly the same way as He would apply to Jesus. When He wants to bless you, save you, protect you, He’ll give you exactly the same treatment as He would given Jesus. As I explained in the last chapter, our DNA as new creations and children of God exactly the same as in Jesus’.

This is what it means to be “in Christ” –to have his name on you, sit at His place at the table of God. So when God says “Jesus –come and receive some blessings” – you are the one to react! Don’t take a seat next to, like many Christian does, and say “no, this is for Jesus, not for me. I’m not worthy receive that much on my plate”, when 1. john 4:17b says clearly

”For as He is so are we in this world”

Your name is ”Jesus Christ”! Thus, you are not Jesus, (there is hospitals for those who dealing with such) but the Bible says clearly, that you have His name, and you are like Him –Just a mini-version. When you start to obey that name, you’ll experience God’s guidance and blessings into a life you thought never were possible.

None of the girls in the rehab-center follows me if I call “Please come here, Gina.” But If I say “Come Victoria” four girls are responding. And even better –If I say “Come here Princess” –All those who have stayed in the center for more than one month are coming -because we are so occupied with showing them who they are in Christ. We do like Paul in Colossians 1:28:

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Read your Bible

And when you see the name ”Jesus”, do like I did in secondary school, respond attentively! Many people respond to all other names when they read the Bible; like fool, fleshly, unrighteous, all according to what they feel they’ve done and deserve. My dear friend, you haven’t done anything to deserve having the name of Jesus   -it’s a work God and Jesus have completed on our behalf whom we can chose to believe and receive or reject.

Let it be clear: The way you treat Jesus, God will treat you. If you receive Jesus, God will receive you. If you reject Jesus, God will also reject you (1. John 5:12). Why? -Because God is a God of justice and righteousness. He is only pleased with what Jesus has done. (Is 53:10) You will never ever impress, not even satisfy Him with your works. Not even your brave attempts trying to be holy. It may shock you, but the fact is that you need to receive Jesus in order for God to receive you! But the fact is also that when you receive Jesus, God receive you the same way as He receives Jesus, and treats you the same way as He treats Jesus. Jesus even says in His prayer in John 17:23 that He prays

that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

So as you hopefully understand; God has loved you since the foundation of the world. Jesus Christ is the solution –the duct, the tube, that makes it possible for God to pour out all the love and compassion he has stored up since the foundation of the world –on you! In Christ all of Gods superabundant love can finally hit you! So being in Christ means simply to be saved, and be a Christian which is possible when you receive Jesus. So when you read the Bible, make sure you know where you are. If you have received Jesus, you can safely read the Bible as you are in Christ.

My friend, it’s so important for you to learn to read the Bible in the right manner. Like when we were watching videos as kids, we all the time used to argue about whom we wanted to be. When we saw the Swedish movie –Madicken, I used to be the frst to scream: “I’m Madicken!” And then my sister had to be “Lisabeth”. So in the game of life she always got to obey under my leadership and commit to my more or less successful ideas. I was a little controlling, but my cousin was worse. She took charge and handed out the characters on turn, so all –even my brother could be the cute Swedish girl, Madicken.

Reading the Bible is a little like that, you have to shout “I’m Jesus” before the devil comes in and tell you that you’re only Thomas the doubter or something. I’m joking a little bit, -you’re free to read the Bible however and recognize yourself in earthly human beings. But don’t forget –be Jesus! And don’t miss the blessings that belong to Him!

How does God talk to Jesus?

Do you ever see God apply to His son as “fool”? In proverbs it says much about fools, but Jesus is certainly not one of them, and neither are you. Sometimes you see Jesus mentioning His disciples as “unbelievers”. But did God mention His son that way? No. And who are we? -In Peter or Judas Iscariot, or in Christ? I’ll unveil you a secret –You’re not a sinner. Not a unbeliever, not doubtor, not disobedient, not hypocrite, not ugly, not unclean or unholy, not weak, not poor. Why? Because Jesus became all this at the cross so you could be like He is –now, where he is seated with God in heaven! He payed an expensive price in order for you to name yourself with the names He has! He is righteous, wisdom from God, wonderful, counselor, mighty God, pure, Beautiful, head of all, obedient, even rich!

There is no blessing in heaven for sinners. There are curse in hell for sinners. I warn you! Stop naming yourself as one; the freedom from sin is only in Christ!

Let the name change your destiny!

God knows that your name shapes you! Just like I told about in the previous chapter, how I let the name “ugly” form me into an ugly person. It’s probably not so practiced in our culture today, but in the time when the Bible was written; were the destiny of the child upheld in the name. So it was very important to give the child a good one! Not only something that felt good emotionally. God actually knew that changing a persons name, was the most important in changing a person’s destiny. God knew that if barren Abram and Sarai should be father and mother of many nations, He had to change their names! Abraham means literally “Father of many nations”. And Jesus knew that if he should change Simon from being an unstable, spontanious fisherman into a pastor and a church Father, He had to give him a new name –Peter which means rock! Proverbs 23:7 states that

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

God wants to confirm you!

Fathers have a special gift when it comes to confirming their children’s identity. Many of us experience to get complimented when we do something, but this is not the same. Confirmation is something that tells who you are regardless of what you have done. I would have a hard time getting courageous enough to sing in public, if it wasn’t because my Father confirmed me on this area, even before I’d done any performances. God confirms His son Jesus Christ before He has done any miracles, healed anyone, or walked on a single puddle. In Matt 3:16-17 it says

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

In Jesus Gods complete love for human kind is revealed. In Jesus God is changing and forming your destiny to become what He planned you to. Let’s take a closer look on some of the words God uses to confirm Jesus, so you can happen you recognize your “white stone” at the table and get the serving God has prepared for you.

This is My…

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.

Is 43:1

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 

John 10:27-29

You belong to Him. God Himself has marked you with a stamp where it’s says “The property of God”. No devil can separate you from Him (Rom 8:38-39) No evil can come and mess with Gods elected one. The day you understand that it’s not you that have to hold on to God; it’s He that holds you! His hand is mighty. When Jesus went to be sacrificed in Matt 26:53, He clearified

do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

My friend, don’t fear when you read the Bible about how God’s anger consumed people in the old testament, and when you read about the tribulations which is yet to come before Jesus comes back; You are His! Not only His, but even righteous! And even in the old testament, God always kept safe His own righteous people, regardless of the damage that took place everywhere else. And in those days, being righteous and Gods people was something the people had to hold on to by their own effort. So how much more don’t you think God will keep and protect you, who are saved by grace?! It doesn’t depend on your obedience, but on Jesus obedience. You are forever Gods property. Psalm 91 is your guarantee. Nothing can take you out from His hands!

SON

17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.  A servant will not be corrected by mere words; For though he understands, he will not respond.

Prov 29:17+19

Many of those Christians, who’re wandering around like “covering fearful slaves”, are also very likely bound to all kinds of sins. Why? Because the Bible says that only those who know they are sons are able to receive guidance. Don’t let the devil mess up your picture of God the loving Father into a picture of an evil boss, rebuking you as a slave if you don’t perform maximum. -And don’t let the devil mess up the order in your relationship. God is Father and you are child. Did you really believe you could help God? WRONG! Acts 17:25 says about God that

Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.

What an offence for my daddy if I’d transferred 50 euro to his bank accont in order to help him being a good provider of our Family! He, who has given me all I’ve ever needed! You are definately not the right person to serve your Father God –Your Father is serving you! "But aren’t we servants of God?" Yes. -But how? -Because He has given us more than enough –so much that we can afford to give it away to serve people! This is the order. All I have is given me from God. I can’t even let a finger without Him ‘cause the Bible says further in verse 28 that there is in Him we live and move and have our being

I came to Ukraine with an attitude that I could change the world. In a painful way, realized that I couldn’t even change a fly; I could actually hardly kill it. And for sure, not change myself!

But do you know what I could? I could be child of my Heavenly Father! I could sit on His lap; and let Him show me what the world looked like from His view; far above all powers and principalities, and all the dirty Ukrainian cole-slam-mountains. I could play with the gifts He had given me, and give Him thanks, and telling Him that I wanted to get to know Him more. And while doing this, I finally found myself changed, and changing the people around me by fellowshipping with my Father. Admitting; I am a child. All I can do anything. But He can, and I know Him. I realized that even Jesus couldn’t do anything without the Father. Hello –who are we?!

”Beloved”

Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

Jes 31:3

There are many ways to miss a Heavenly kiss; I discovered one of them: It’s by not looking to Him who loves, but to everyone else, whom God seems to love more.

The Bible is clear –He loves you! The word “beloved” is the word “Agapetos” in greek and means beloved, esteemed, dear, favorite and worthy of love. The choice is yours; You can do like the Disciple John; imply it to your own name, or just let it pass as, they did all those who didn’t make it to be recorded in the Bible.  

I love it -John even mentions his own name in his gospel as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. Does it mean that Jesus loved John more than the others? -Of course not. But John had received it, embraced it as Gods destiny for His life, and even implied it to his own name –Just like Abraham and Sarah did when God changed theirs'. No wonder why John was the only one who didn’t run away when Jesus got crucified, but was close to Jesus till the very moment He died. No wonder why Jesus gave John the most intimate, personal mission –to take care about his mother, to John.  No wonder why John could lean on Jesus breast and get the juicy fact everyone wanted to hear straight into his ear. No wonder why John ran to the grave faster than Peter. No wonder why John was the first to recognize Jesus in His resurrected body. And! No wonder why John got to live longer than any other of the Apostles, (although they tried to fry him in oil) and look into the heaven, look into Jesus’ face and receive the revalation about the times to come.

 I can describe it in another way; when it’s raining on a flower field. Is the rain for all the flowers? Yes! But who is receiving the most? Those who bend their petals, believing that the rain is not so much for them as for the taller and more beautiful ones, or those who are stretching out their leafs and petals singing: "Hallelujah –it’s raining on me!”?

I came to a point in life when I got so tired of all this talk about God loving everyone else than me. I just decided to do like John –talk about myself as the discciple whom Jesus loved. If you do; you may risk that some may laugh of you and say you’re conceited. But I mean, you can’t be conceited when you actually only humbling yourself under the word of God!  I received so much joy and freedom in this. When people were talking about the flue that was about to catch everyone, I started confess; But not me, ‘cause I am the girl whom God loves. I don’t know why all the other Christians caught the flue, God doesn’t give us access to look into other people’s hearts. Only our own. But I knew in my own heart that: I am Gods beloved daughter.

And I started to see so much wonders! Big and small blessings everyday –all as Gods amen to my new name -His beloved! Why should God create a breathtaking sunrise straight over the water outside my window when I was going to have an exam in math, If it wasn’t because He loved me and wanted to show it to me painting the most gorgeous panting in my favorite-colors right outside the window to my bedroom? As I confessed it, I got to enter the mission-trip to Iceland which only five out of the 80 students got to go to. God favored me like His beloved when I started to receive I was His beloved.

I wrote this song:

Like a flower; I’ll receive your sunlight.

Throw the leaves of condemnation and sickness

–at the cross, where you have finished all.

So now I can drink of your loving sunlight.

Strip off the garment of main and sorrow

‘cause you –the great creator of all

–have put your love on me!

”In whom I am well pleased”

The LORD will hold you in his hands for all to see -- a splendid crown in the hands of God. 4 Never again will you be called the Godforsaken City or the Desolate Land. Your new name will be the City of God's Delight and the Bride of God, for the LORD delights in you and will claim you as his own. 5 Your children will care for you with joy, O Jerusalem, just as a young man cares for his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride

Isaiah 62:3-5-NLB

Maybe you grew up as “the black sheep of the family”, the one who easily harmed mum and dad, and represented a black, stroke on the otherwise tidy and orderly family portrait. Maybe you were the one given the quick introduction, while your sisters and brothers were lifted up to heaven in details together with their degrees and masters.

It’s important to understand what says in ecc 9:1 that People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. –There doesn’t have to be any truths at all in the ways people may have treated you. By the way, who knows best; stupid teachers, or the Almighty God?

Before all, don’t look for a white stone with the name ”black sheep” –it’s not there, and if you absolutely want so make yourself one –like the prodicle son in Luke 15, be aware –that you will not get any serving by that name. The closest you’ll come food will be to steal from the pigs! Because God’s name on you is my pleasure –in whom I am well pleased! God is so proud of you that He wants to shout it out from Heaven –so everyone can hear! Read about His feelings for you in Zephaniah 3:17!

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

God is not embarrassed by you –He is pleased with you. Not because you’re clever and skilled, but because Jesus was awestruck clever and skilled. God will never ever be annoyed with you. Not even tired of you when you fail in the same area over and over. He has pleasure in you completely! Isaiah 54:9 says that He will never ever be angry and never threaten you!

Isaiah 54:4 also says that you can forget about the shame from yout youth. Many people are ashamed all the time, even when they have done completely fine –just because somehow, they've got the definition as “the troublemaker of the class”. Of course some youngsters do more easily than others happen to provoke authorities. They all the time get rebuked, and expect some kind of punishment.

But the fact about you is that God has forever cleansed and forgiven you; and although everyone else haven’t you can trust God’s word and start to forgive yourself.

I realized that although I’ll fail to fulfill the expectations of people, I can never fail to fulfill God’s covenant, ‘cause He has made me good enough! (2. cor 3:6)

In this world, the Bible says we will happen to be accused. We will happen to receive accusations, whether it may be truths in it or not. But imagine, how great –to stand before a lot of accusations, knowing that God the almighty, creator of Heaven and earth says that you are His Beloved Son(or daughter) –in whom He is well pleased!

You can sing this song I made in Bible school. Figure out a melody yourself;

He looooooooves me.

I know He loves me

–I am His beautiful daughter!

Yes He looooves me!

No one can ever take my place

or sing my song!

What the Father has decided

The blood of Christ has spoken

And I am sure the Holy Spirit

Will let me know!

Yes! He loooooves me!