A New Name

He was brought up on one of the roughest estates in Manchester. His father was an alcoholic. He left school at fifteen. He ran away from home. He lived on the streets. He joined a gang. He got involved in crime and ended up in prison. When he came out, he joined the army. He went through two divorces. In 1994, he walked into our church and did [Alpha]. He encountered Jesus and was filled with the Holy Spirit. He started visiting prisoners. He joined the [HTB] team to head…

God introduced Himself to Moses with just two words: "I AM." Typically that phrase needs a third word to complete the sentence. But because God is everything and everyone and everywhere that He needs to be in every moment, His name doesn't need a third word. You and I, on the other hand, need that third word to anchor our identities to specific, tangible, descriptive terms. But completing the "I am _________" sentence is not as easy as it sounds. We…

Someone said we go through life with three names: the name our parents gave us, the name others give us (our reputation), and the name we give ourselves (our character). The name others give us matters, as “a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold” (Proverbs 22:1). But while reputation is important, character matters more. There’s yet another name that’s even more important. Jesus told the…

In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving tells of Ichabod Crane, a schoolteacher who seeks to marry a beautiful young woman named Katrina. Key to the story is a headless horseman who haunts the colonial countryside. One night, Ichabod encounters a ghostly apparition on horseback and flees the region in terror. It’s clear to the reader that this “horseman” is actually a rival suitor for Katrina, who then marries her. Ichabod is a name first seen in…

Louis Zamperini’s military plane crashed at sea during the war, killing eight of eleven men onboard. “Louie” and two others clambered into life rafts. They drifted for two months, fending off sharks, riding out storms, ducking bullets from an enemy plane, and catching and eating raw fish and birds. They finally drifted onto an island and were immediately captured. For two years Louie was beaten, tortured, and worked mercilessly as a prisoner of war. His…

Who are you? It’s a complicated question, isn’t it? On one hand, your self-concept is rooted in your family background, your personality, the belief systems you’ve been taught, and the key people in your life. On the other hand, you may not be who you think you are. God is the author of your true identity. He knows exactly how He designed you. He knows the gifts He’s given you to fulfill the purposes He’s called you to. That’s why Paul…

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters ... Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (Isa. 55:1– 2) You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace ... You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon. (Song of Song 4:9, 15) Beauty is what the world longs to experience from a woman. We…

Today I'm sharing an encouraging story sent to me by a long-time friend who's part of the ministry team at Jesus Film. Take the time to read it. You'll start the day with a much-needed smile seeing Gods amazing grace and mercy. _________________________________ Madagascar is an enormous island nation located off the coast of East Africa. Thousands of small villages dot the countryside, connected by foot trails, rugged roads and rivers. In one of these…

“Does anybody know what we are living for?” asked Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the rock group Queen, in the lyrics of the last song on their album, Innuendo. Millions are implicitly asking just that question. Jonathan Gabay, a thirty-one-year-old professional writer, was facing employment challenges and stress when he hit rock bottom. He began to ask questions about the meaning of life. He wrote to people in all walks of life: world leaders, the homeless, Oscar…