Discovering our name through Peter.

Don't we all wish we could understand who we really are?  We are given a name from birth, but we do not understand what our lives will be like.  We all have some pretty great ideas, we have plans, and we have dreams that we all want to follow.  Discovering ourselves is one way to begin this process.  This is a video link to a pretty funny video by Jeffery Dallas, but I want you to especially pay attention when it reaches 1 minute and to 1 minute and 20 seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXUcmVibTUI&feature=related
I think this short video clip relates a lot to the encounter between Peter and Jesus.  Our cultures normal conversations usually start with naming.  We like to discover who we are talking to.  In Peter's story, he comes to Jesus and Jesus says to him, "'You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas' (which, when translated, is Peter)" (John 1:42b).  That's interesting, I have never been told someone my name then told that I am wrong and my name should be different (if I ever am I hope I am not renamed "captain toilet").  But, Peter comes to Jesus and is immediately renamed.  My question is why?
Later in the story, Peter confess' Christ to be the "Messiah, the Son of God", followed by denying him three times, and then is finally given a ministry through Christ to give him praise.  What an up and down journey by this renamed man.  Well, what does this have to do with you know who is reading this?  Your life probably was a lot like Peter's, just going through life like normal, when you were suddenly changed and saw your life in a new light (or perhaps you have not and you have no idea what I am talking about).
Whether your life has been changed or not, I have a few lessons I believe that can be learned from Peter being transformed from Simon to Peter.
1)  We all can have a personal transformation in our lives.  This happens when we allow Christ into our lives.  This is what Peter did, he allowed Christ to enter his heart from the first message he heard and then began an up and down journey in life (see Matthew 4: 18-22; Mark 1:14-20; Luke 5:1-11).
2)  We need to recognize who Christ is (see Matthew 16: 13-20).  Over and over throughout the Gospel of John there is an emphasis on a belief in Jesus.  We do not need to just open our hearts to him, we need to believe him, and recognize him as a man from God that came and gave us life!
3)  Struggles come with this, that is why Paul's walk involved a lot of ups and downs.  One verse that I continually go to for encouragement is John 16:33: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world".  In my next blog I am hoping to talk more about this, but I hope this will encourage you in life, that we have meaning.  God calls us by name, and makes us new, and then calls us to live a life set before us.  It will involve some ups and downs, but we can have peace, because he has overcome the world!