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Names have been Changed

Words of Faith Final

Names have been Changed
Words of Faith 3-24-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL    
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 17
    When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. [2] I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers."
    [3] Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, [4] "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. [5] No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. [6] I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. [7] I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. [8] The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."

        Can you imagine having your name changed after 99 years? A name is something we tend to grow rather attached to. Every check you sign and letter you write... you mess it up?
        That is what happened to Abram. God was ready to move on to the next leg of this journey of faith, but it would require a name change!  
       What is more, God also revealed a new name for Himself, El Shaddai, God Almighty. This was not a change, but it was a new revelation. It was a confident reassurance that God is absolutely in charge of everything. This was the first time that this name for God was revealed in the Scripture. So this particular day was a Covenant time, and new names were assigned to mark the day.
        What was this Covenant about? The Covenant God put in place had to do with land, people, and Circumcision. God was completing the promise He had made long ago to Abram. The very promise that Abram had held onto for so long was now about to come to pass.
        This name change was no small thing. "Abram" means "exalted father" and probably pointed backward to Terah, implying that Abram came from royal lineage. But in Hebrew, the name "Abraham" sounds similar to "father of a multitude." This indeed looked ahead toward his descendants. It would have been a bit embarrassing for Abram to go and tell people to start calling him by his new name, "father of a multitude," when at age 99, he still had no children of his own! But this is the walk of faith.
        The name Abraham also has the breathy sound of the "Ruach," the Holy breath of God, added. This father of a multitude had the very breath of God, and the Holy Spirit of God embedded in his name.
        The truth here is that we may walk for decades before the Lord starts to do His most magnificent work in us! We might think we are worn out when all of the sudden God Almighty says, "Now it is time. I have a new name for you!"  This is the nature of God. His plans and designs are beyond us. He is God Almighty! His timing is perfect. His reasons are unsearchable. He is God.
         Where are you today? Are you prepared for God Almighty? Are you ready for Him to get started in your life? Maybe after years of serving Him? Are you prepared for whatever He may bring? A new name, or a new place, or a new way? He may call you to a path that would make others chuckle. But are you ready to follow? He may leave you where you are for a few more years or decades. Are you prepared to wait? He is God Almighty. Listen. Trust. Obey.

    Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
        How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
    "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"
    "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"
    For from him and through him and to him are all things.
        To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)
 
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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.