His Story in the Making

     History is God's story. It is written as a trilogy (three parts), about the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and depicts the three major steps in Christian living (faith, salvation, and peace). Three is the number of divine completeness and perfection. God's story is divine, complete, and perfect. He has already written the beginning and the end - it is up to you to live out what He has written for your life now!

1. His Story of Faith in the Father

 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..."

-Hebrews 12:2

     God is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the beginning, the end, and everything in between. Everything is created, written, and inspired by Him. He breathed life into it all. Romans 10:17 says, "So faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." God's Word (His Story) is the source of our faith. Hebrews 11:1-3 tells us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen..." and "through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God."

2. His Story of Salvation through the Son

"And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation..."

-Hebrews 5:9

     It is important to note that faith is the prequel to salvation. Without faith, salvation is not possible. Faith sets up the story for salvation. Faith is the building block and foundation for salvation. Most importantly, God is the author of faith and salvation. Romans 10:9-10 tells us, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

3. His Story of Peace through the Holy Spirit

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace..."

-1 Corinthians 14:33

     Peace is the final installment of God's trilogy. It is the "happily ever after" to His Story. God left us His Holy Spirit to be our comforter until his return. When He returns to take us Home, we will experience His never-ending peace. In the meantime, the Holy Spirit is meant to comfort us in our moments of brokenness and guide us in the right paths when we lose our way. His Word offers peace and clarification in our moments of chaos and confusion. Seek to do His will, pray for discernment, and place your trust in Him. Peace will follow.

In the morning...

     I am not, nor have I ever been, a "morning person" - and often times I believe this particular characteristic of mine conflicts with my spiritual walk. Countless times I've heard the phrase "Start your morning with Jesus!" Well, my morning time with Jesus usually consists of a five second prayer as I run out the door with a pop-tart in my hand. Don't get me wrong, I spend quality, one-on-one quiet time with Christ, but it usually occurs around 11 p.m. while I'm sitting on the bed about to fall asleep. And, if I'm not completely focused and prayed up, I usually do end up asleep before it's over. God has shown me some amazing messages in those late night studies, but what good is a message if I learn it and fall asleep immediately after? If I start my morning with God, and receive the message first thing in the morning, then I have all day to practice it. This is not only a lesson God has been trying to instill in me recently, it is a message He has tried to instill in all of His children since the days of the Old Testament...

     *Joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30:5)
              If you are a child of God, then you have a reason to be joyful. God has forgiven you, delivered you, restored you, and set you on a new path. He has given you new life, and a new song to sing. Above all He has given you the hope of an eternal life with Him. Wake up every morning ready to serve Christ with a smile on your face and joy in your heart!
     *Pray & cry aloud in the morning (Psalm 55:17)
              Start the morning on your knees, seeking God. Ask for forgiveness from yesterday's mistakes and failures. Ask for direction and discernment in the day ahead. Make your requests known to Him. But above all, simply praise Him for His undeserved and continual acts mercy.
     *Sing of His mercy in the morning (Psalm 59:16)
              Make a joyful noise unto the Lord! Begin your morning by giving God the praise He deserves.
     *Show His lovingkindess in the morning (Psalm 92:2)
              God's love for us is beyond comprehension. His kindness and mercy towards us is far beyond what we deserve. We are so unworthy, yet He continues to bestow blessings upon our lives. If you woke up this morning with breath in your lungs, then you have something to be thankful for. He has given us a reason to smile, so wake with a smile on your face and joy in your heart. If we live a defeated life, then nonbelievers have nothing to desire. Show them of the Love of God daily through your words and through your actions.
     *Hear His lovingkindess in the morning (Psalm 143:8)
              Every morning God desires to speak to you - be sure to take the time and listen. Don't let the distractions of the busy morning drown out His still small voice. Open His word, open your ears, open your heart, and let Him speak. He wants to tell you of His love and offer you guidance and direction for the day ahead. He will not lead you astray - listen to His voice, and follow in the direction of His words.
     *Sow thy seed in the morning (Ecclesiastes 11:6)
              The word "sow" means to "plant seeds in the ground for future growth." In other words, start your morning by being a witness for Christ. If you woke up this morning, it was for a reason - the reason we are alive is to share the Good News of Christ. Colossians 3:17 says, "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." In other words, if you let all that you say and do be to glorify Christ then seeds will be planted in the hearts of nonbelievers. Eventually, those seeds will take root and become salvation. In that moment you will be able to take pride in the fact that you were a part of that individual's salvation, all because you obeyed the will of God and began your morning by helping to sow the seed.
     *Execute judgment in the morning (Jeremiah 21:12)
              The word judgment often times has a negative connotation, but it simply means to to do what is right and fair. Seek justice in the morning; let your actions be just. Isaiah 1:17 says, "Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." In other words, seek do the right thing every morning, make the right decisions, and follow through with those decisions.
     *The Lord's mercies are new every morning (Lamentation 3:23)
              Because of God's immense mercy and compassion towards us, every day is new beginning. Begin each morning by asking for God's forgiveness, then forgive yourself and move on. Don't go through the day feeling defeated about something that happened yesterday - start the day fresh. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new."
     *Prepare an offering every morning (Ezekiel 46:15)
               God doesn't want you to offer a lamb as a burnt sacrifice every morning before you leave for school or work; he simply wants you to make a sacrifice. Psalms 51:16-17 says, "For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart." In other words, humble yourself before God every morning. If you are a born again believer, then you've already given Him your heart, so give Him your life as well. Begin each day by surrendering yourself completely to God. Ask for His will to be done throughout the day, and offer to be His hands and feet.

Anchor of Hope

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure..."

-Hebrews 6:19

     I find it amazing how at times our spiritual journey almost seems to parallel our earthly journey (or vice versa). As part of my personal bible study recently, I have been studying the hope we have in Christ. In my search, I became increasingly interested in the idea of the anchor as a symbol for hope. As a born-again Christian I do not believe in "coincidence" - I prefer to use the phrase "It's a God thing!" God works in mysterious ways, and sometimes He uses "coincidence" or "irony" to reveal his plan to us. Well, shortly after I began my study on hope, we began to study early Christian symbolism in my art class. One day while studying I found the sketching of an anchor in my workbook with the word "hope" written below. It's a God thing!

     It is believed that the symbolism of the anchor began with a simple play on words in the Greek language. The Greek word for anchor is "ankura" and the Greek phrase "en kurio" means "in the Lord". Early Christians were persecuted for their beliefs, and therefore were forced to use metaphorical symbols to signify their beliefs. The epitaphs of many early Christians were engraved with the image of an anchor - suggesting that they now rested "in the Lord".

     So how does the anchor relate to the Christian faith nowadays? The shape of the anchor and it's resemblance to the cross of Christ is a reminder of where our hope lies. Galations 2:20 says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live..." and Romans 8:24 says, "For we are saved by hope..." Without Christ's death on the cross, we would be hopeless. Not only is the shape of the anchor important, but the literal purpose and function of the anchor in important to the Christian faith as well. The anchor is designed to secure a ship, especially in the midst of a storm, and can also be used to control a drifting vessel. The earliest forms of anchors were made of solid rock. Christ is our solid rock, and just as the house built on solid rock will remain firm, so will the anchor of solid rock. Christ is neverchanging - He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If we place our hope in Him, we will be assured calmness in the midst of storm because of His steadfast and unwavering love. We are the vessels of Christ, and even when we stray, His anchor of hope will pull us back in and secure us firmly in Him.

Plead for More: Become Addicted to God

God moment!

I've already got Blogger opened, I've got my favorite grooveshark playlist on shuffle, I'm about to begin my study on becoming "addicted to God" - and guess what song begins to play?? "Better than Drugs" by Skillet... no lie! Needless to say, God has given me confirmation.

The idea for this study came to me a few years ago while on a mission trip with my youth group. During one of the evening services the worship leader prayed "God, we plead for more of you." That phrase stuck with me for a long time - plead for more. What did it mean? As always, God revealed himself to me through His Word. He led me to Psalms 63. The first verse reads, "O God , thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is."

God moment #2!

"Core of my Addiction" by Fireflight just started playing... no lie! You can't tell me God doesn't speak through music!

First of all... the dictionary definition of "plead" its to "beg earnestly" ("earnestly" is defined as "serious and sincere in you actions, words, or intentions; in a determined and purposeful way"). If you have ever read through the book of Psalms then you know that David understood the definition of pleading with God. Poem after poem, song after song - David cries out for help, comfort, and restoration from God. He begged earnestly - and he received. Psalm 63 was written while David was in the wilderness of Judah. Despite being in a "dry and thirsty land where no water is", David is thirsting only after the Living Water. In verse 3 he says, "Thy loving-kindness is better than life". In other words, as long as he had the Love of God, he didn't care whether he lived or died. David was living a life of continuous praise -"early will I seek thee" (v.1) and "mediatate on thee in the night" (v.6). David wasn't just sold out for God, he was addicted. To be "addicted" is to be "dependent" or "very enthusiastic or interested in a particular thing; devoting a lot of time to it." David was completely and totally dependent upon God alone. He devoted every moment of his day to giving God praise - God was the first thing on his mind in the morning, and the last thing on his mind at night. Even in the desert, he sought God above his own physical needs. He literally loved God more than life itself. If you want revival in your personal relationship with God then follow in David's foosteps - plead for more & become addicted to God.

*Reading Recomendation:

     -Psalm 63

     -Psalm 42

*Music Recomendation:

     -"Better than Drugs" by Skillet

     -"Core of My Addiction" by Fireflight

God Never Fails!

Does this sound familiar?

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

This is a portion from one of the more familiar passages of scripture, 1 Corinthians 13 (NIV). It is commonly used as the scripture reading of weddings, for obvious reasons. And though it teaches a powerful message of love, I interpret it in a slightly different form. When I read this passage I am reminded of 1 John 4:8 which states that God is love. By substituting the two synonyms, God revealed a slightly different message of Love to me...

1. Without God, I have nothing (v.1)
2. Without God, I am nothing (v.2)
3. Without God, I profit nothing (v.3)
4. God is patient and kind (v.4)
5. God is not easily angered; He keeps no record of wrongs (v.5)
6. God does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth (v. 6)
7. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres (v.7)
8. GOD NEVER FAILS! (v.8)