WHAT’S YOUR NAMEActs4:36-5:1-11

 < ?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

It is recorded in Acts 4:36-37; ÒAnd Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, 37 having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostlesÕ feet.Ó This report was recorded for a purpose, and it speaks volume to any man that will pay attention. The meaning of Joses was not reported for the purpose of story telling, but to call to attention the man whose name means encouragement, which was indeed an encouragement to the body of believers. Joses was living to the meaning of his name, and that can be seen as being in the center of his calling. Right after the documentation of Joses, Ananias and SapphireÕs case came up. Ananias, whose name means Yahweh, had been gracious sold his possessions just like Joses, but he kept back part of all that he got from the sale. Ananias failed to live up to his name. Ananias refused to be gracious when and where he needed to be, and as a result, he removed himself from the center of his assignment, and died an instant and untimely death. Anytime there is a failure of not living by what you are called to be, it will lead to a passage of what you are not called to be. The son of encouragement will live to answer to his name. As a result he could not pass unto what was not meant for him to be. Names can either work for you or work against you. If your name means ÒseparateÓ, and you bluntly refused not to be separated where there is a need for separation, you will miss the center of your assignment, and that could be a permanent termination. The name Lot means separation, when it was time for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God made a way of separation for him, but he struggled not to be separated. Lot which means separation could have ended up not being separated, ÒAnd while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wifeÕs hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the cityÓ (Genesis 19:16) What does your name mean, and how is it promoting you or delaying you from where God wants you to be? What are you being called to do? Living outside the calling is living up to what you are not called to be. Joses, son of encouragement, lived by his name and he had life. Ananias lived outside of his name and he lost life. Is your name relevant to what you are currently going through? Your name will work for you or against you. If there is a meaning in your name, be conscious of the meaning and do not wait till it fails you.