Get In The Story!

God's Word comes to us as story -- not myth or fiction -- but real-life story. Too often we read God's Story in fragments, a verse here, a verse there, a paragraph here, a chapter there. The smaller the fragment the easier it is to lose the Story.

God's Word is a huge story told by the Spirit through human authors using preaching, prophecy, poetry, parable, narrative, genealogy, wisdom, prayer. And this huge story has one purpose: God reveals himself to us in Jesus Christ.

So when you read God's Story make sure you allow the Spirit to pull you into it. Don't just read to get information or to find a "word" to meet your need for the moment. Allow the Spirit to tell you God's story. Be sure that you not only get the story, but that you get in the story.

It's a story of Papa-God's great love, mercy, and grace. Outside of grace, we are living corpses -- "dead in our trespasses and sins." Without hope. Unable to change ourselves. Insensitive and unresponsive to God. The walking-dead. Sure, we're full of good intentions, but we're also sin-driven.

We cannot over exaggerate what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. God ...

• Blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Jesus
• Made us holy, blameless, and covered us with His love
• Adopted us into His family
• Removed all our sins
• Brought us under Christ's headship
• Chose and predestined us according to His perfect will
• Sealed us by the Holy Spirit
• Raised up with Christ in glory
• Saved by grace through faith
• Fashioned us into His personal work of art.

Thank you, Papa-God, for your great story of lavish grace!