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How Matthew Got His Name
Written on 8/21/2019 - one day after Matthew's birth.
Let me preface this with some information regarding my other two boys. Long ago I realized God uses names (or changes them!) to define the purpose and/or giftings of His people. He still does this today! They were each given their names through the process of picking out names my wife and I liked from a list of family names, and then praying over them asking God to direct us to the name He wants to give them.
Our newest member is Matthew Ray. These are family names. However, the story you are reading is unique and wonderful to those who know the heritage of our family lineage and the man who chose to follow God - and in doing so, is now being honored.
The name Matthew comes from my wife's family. Its meaning is "Gift of God". The name…
Who is God (Part 2)
This was written on 2/10/2021 by Ja Ham
A few months after this experience, I realized something significant...
God did not introduce Himself to us only as Jesus... He introduced Himself to us as the "Holy Trinity"!
The first night, God the Son (Jesus) showed up in my dreams. John 1:1-5
The second night, God the Father (the big guy in the sky? - as some of us tend to think of Him) showed up as the "unapproachable light" behind my wife. 1 Timothy 6:16 1 John 1:5
The third night, God the Spirit came to us to counsel and instruct us. Read: The Holy Spirit as Counsellor
Read the related verse references that support why God chose to encounter us the way He did. These were found and researched AFTER the events described in this story.
'In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.' John 1:1-5 NLT
1 Timothy 6:16 NLT: "He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen."
1 John 1:5 NLT: "This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all."
18 Bible Verses about The Holy Spirit as Counsellor
1 John 2:1 "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;"
John 14:16-17 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you."
John 16:7 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."
John 7:38-39 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Acts 2:33 Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.
Acts 11:12 The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man’s house.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
Ephesians 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
Acts 9:31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.
Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
John 16:14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
1 John 5:6-8 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
John 16:13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 but just as it is written,“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.