In light of our upcoming fall seminar addressing, pursuing your
purpose, can we talk for a few moments about names and titles?

A name should identify you, or separate you from the pack. A name
gives identity, a separating from others.

A title should define you, address your purpose or assignment or
function as relates to others. A title speaks of the parmeters
or boundaries of your calling, if properly applied.

May we go to the revelation of Genesis 22: reading verses 1-19

Genesis 22:1-19 (NAS)
v1 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham,
and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

v2 He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac,
and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."

v3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and
took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God
had told him.

v4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a
distance.

v5 Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I
and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you

v6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac
his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two
of them walked on together.

v7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he
said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Behold, the fire and the
wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

v8 Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt
offering, my son," So the two of them walked on togehter.

v9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham
built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

v10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

v11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said,
"Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

v12 He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do
nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have
not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."

v13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him
a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took
the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his
son.

v14 Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as
it is to this day, "In the mount of the Lord it will be provided."

v15 Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from
heaven,

v16 and said, "By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you
have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son,

v17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your
seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the sea
shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.

v18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,
because you have obeyed My voice."

v19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went
together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.

Notice verse 14 "The Lord will provide"
Lit- in the mount of the Lord (a place of separation to come
up to)
it will be seen, provided, supplied
- if God calls for it, orders it, He will pay for it...

v12 "for now, I know"
- you've proven that you fear, reverence, submit to
- you are willing to lift me above the gift
- you have submitted to me above self - you've made me
1 instead of you

I can now trust you because:
* Out of your gift you have given back
* With your re-gifting you have put yourself under submission
* Number 1 you have made Me number 1

Romans 11:29
"for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable" (RSV)

"for God does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His
blessings or sends His call" (Gspd)

God does not take back the gifts, talents, abilities or callings He
gives.

"freely you have received,
freely give" (now, because your gift is a trust)
God does not want the blessings He gives to man, to separate them
from Him, or to be used separate or independent of His Kingdom will
and purpose.

* God was saying to Abraham, I gave you a gift that fulfilled,
empowered and gave meaning to your life.
Now, will you incorporate your gift into my purpose?
* Has this gift made our friendship and walk together stronger
or has it come between us?
* Can I trust you?
* Am I still God to you, or has the gift become your lord or
passion?

God gave Abram a life changing gift, the gift changed the emphasis of
his life...
It redirected his destiny in life
It changed what defined him and his direction
It changed his name
It changed his lineage or legacy
It changed the contribution he could make to life on earth
It caused him to be bigger as a part of a grander scheme than
he had been as #1
It allowed him to leave a lasting mark and impact on creation

The change was so great that his name was changed, to a descriptive
"title".

Gifts can change a recipient:
Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher, Co-laborer,
Son of God

The name change took Abram from son of man to father of men.

Abraham became part of God's work and purpose.
The island Abram was joined to the continent Abraham.
He became a "Co-laborer with God"

The gift God gives you, can define you or defeat you, dependant on
how it is applied.

God calls people to purpose
God anoints vessels to become distributors
No gift of God is singular in destination

God gives gifts, so the gifted can give God to others.

A son of man has a name change, to become a Son of God, so God can be
seen through him as the family attributes, divine nature flow out of
him to bring about Kingdom purpose.

A person with a gift, must never strive to find identity in the gift,
but rather find purpose.