What now?

When you take away all the religious trappings we associate with the Gospel story woven through the Bible, it sounds like one of those myths I studied in school..., or a fairy tale.  Here is how is sounds to me:  

 was the garden like this?

 

Once upon a time there was a God who was good but he had an evil enemy.  When God made planet earth and created a man and woman to be in charge of it, His arch enemy went into the garden where they lived to lie to them and entice them to distrust the boundary God had given them regarding the knowledge of good and evil.  He succeeds and the man and woman forfeit their dominion and authority over the earth to him.  

evil brings darkness into the world

But God has a plan to redeem the relationship and destiny of mankind through his Son Jesus.  Jesus comes to earth to live as a perfect man and dies for the people who are blinded by the lies of the enemy, and have participated with him in his plans to lie, steal, kill, and destroy everything God made and loves.  The Son succeeds and the relationship is restored to whoever will believe God and love the Son.

The way is opened for the Holy Spirit (of God and His Son) to join with the human spirit so that spiritual gifts can operate through the people by faith. The people who want to be redeemed by God are filled by the Holy Spirit and given back their authority to overcome the enemy's lies.  Jesus gives them the task of walking with Him by faith, using their gifts to tell others the story and restore the earth.

I love that story!  To me, it adds glory and excitement to life here on our planet!  And I think people are very hungry in their souls for a place in a story like this.  You can see it in those myths of the past, and in video games and movies made today.  I'm not a fan of science fiction and fantasy genre's, but I've been exposed enough to know that people love to be part of something of epic proportions!  God made us that way and it was our original role.

a beautiful place to listen to God (Outer Banks, NC)

So what do we do with that?  Well, for me, the answer is to seek to know God and Jesus through the Holy Spirit as much as possible.  It is to listen, listen, listen to hear what God has to say to me about Himself, about being forgiven and loved by Him, and about the things He has chosen and equipped me to do.  

The more I know Him, the more I come to know myself, and actually enjoy being me.  If you knew the self-hatred and rejection I used to live with, you would be as amazed as I am that I could be changed so much.  I'm sure that you have a story, too, and it's not over yet!  Big things are happening in the world and we each have a place in God's redeeming plan.  If you are unclear about that, just ask God and He will answer you.  He promises.*

"For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:8