Writing Your Story - Part 1

This podcast is made available by this increasing media as to the generosity of our support is your donation today means great podcast ideas remain available to help people look to God daily presentation at our nation today send out all day. One clicks on new meaning when you start seeing just numbers on the calendar and start seeing each die is a new chapter in the story of your life Turning Point of the Jeremiah ask you to consider your story and characters unexpected points was revealed by the author from the life God blesses his David is missing watching your story well this is a great lesson because it reminds us of our journey we as Christians focus a lot on our destination, which is heaven. That's a good thing to do. Good to know where you're headed and where you going to spend eternity but were not there yet and there's a journey between where we are and where were going, and God cares about that journey.

That's where all of us were on the journey. Right now, and the journey is as important as the destination. How we live our lives and how we focus on what God is doing and how observant we are to the things that God is doing in our lives in this new year. Let's really make sure we do that don't get so caught up in the ultimate destination that we forget were not there yet and in between now and then there's some real wonderful opportunities to expand the kingdom and express our faith and grow in our own relationship with the Lord. Right now our Bibles are open to Proverbs chapter 4 going to talk about writing your story in Proverbs chapter 4 and verses 1419. If you have your Bibles open and you are following along in the new King James version of the Scripture which is what I preach from. You can read from your Bibles. Proverbs 414 through 19.

Are you ready to go.

Do not enter the path of the wicked in the way of evil not travel on it turn away from it and pass on, for they do not sleep unless they have done evil and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone for they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day the way of the wicked is like darkness. They do not know what makes them stumble talk with you about writing your story writing your story John Eldridge is a writer who has encouraged a lot of us turned a lot of guys onto the powerful existence that is available for Christian men as they follow the Lord. He's written a book called epic and in this book he talks about the fact that our life is a story he says life doesn't come to us like a math problem it comes to us the way that a story does seem by seeing you wake up what will happen next. You don't get to know you have to enter it and you have to take the journey as it come, the sun might be shining there might be a tornado outside your friends may call and invite you to go sailing you might lose your job.

Life unfolds like a drama. Each day has a beginning and an end. There are all sorts of characters and all sorts of setting year goes by like a chapter from a novel. Sometimes it seems like a tragedy. Sometimes like a comedy. Most of it feels like a soap opera. Whatever happens, it's a story through and through life for most of us feels like a movie we've arrived at 40 minutes late. Sure good things happen sometimes beautiful things, but tragic things happen to. What does it all mean we find ourselves in the middle of a story that is sometimes wonderful, sometimes awful, usually a confusing mixture of both, and we haven't a clue how to make sense out of it all.

No wonder we keep losing heart, we need to know the rest of the story for when we were born we were born into the midst of a great story begun before the dawn of time, a story of adventure of risk and loss of heroism and betrayal. It is a story. What good is warning against evil, where danger lurks around every corner and glorious deeds wait to be done. Think of all those stories you've ever loved. There's a reason they stood your heart. They've been trying to tell you about the true epic ever since you were young. There is not a time during the year when we are more attuned to stories than at the Christmas season and the aftermath of it all.

We watch 34th St. in our heart resonates with it. We watch it's a wonderful life I read that it was on television 480 times during the holiday season. Even the story of Scrooge grabs at our heart. Why are these stories all so endearing and enduring because in some way they get at the heart of the real story.

The story of good and evil.

The story of God and his children.

While certainly none of the authors of these major plays and stories had that in mind in the understanding of the plot and the outflow of the story. If you think about them carefully.

You can see a subtle theme that runs through them all and it is the theme that ultimately ends up in the story, which began before the foundation of the world we are living through an epic of time that will be viewed by historians as one of the most defining moments in American history. The presence of intense evil.

On one hand is more evident to us than ever before.

We cannot go through a day without being reminded of all of the things that are going on where evil things are happening. Many of them motivated from evil hearts. We have been told that 50% of our nation think one way 50% think the other way and that people on each side are not really crazy about people on the other side.

Everywhere we look, there is this dichotomy of life and everywhere we look, we are reminded that were part of the story that is taking us all through that situation.

The Bible is filled with metaphors of the Christian life fact, if you want to understand your life you need to grab hold of these metaphors and start to study them. Let me give you a couple of illustrations of what I mean. The Bible tells us that our life is like a race that is to be won or lost.

First Corinthians 924 and $0.25. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prizes tempered in all things.

Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we had in perishable crown. Life is a race that we run in the Bible teaches us also that life is a battle it's a fight that we engage in second Timothy two forces no one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. There's another picture what life is like the Bible says that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the dark, but perhaps of all the metaphors of the Christian life. The one that makes the most sense is the metaphor of the ongoing journey or the story that's unfolding from place to place in our text that we read from the book of Proverbs we are reminded that all of us no matter who we are, are on a journey were either walking toward God, or were walking away from him were either on the journey of good and righteousness were on the journey going away from good righteousness. There isn't really a middle ground that we can claim it is surprising how many times in the Bible. This picture of a path or a journey is used, it is a picture of the Christian life not only the life of those who know Christ but also the life of those who do not. It's interesting when you find a word in the Bible and you underline it and you put it in your mental computer if you're not careful. Every time you open the Bible that will pop up as you sensitized yourself to it when I sensitized my mind to the idea of walking the path beyond a path with God.

Here are some of the passages that came before me.

Jeremiah 1815 says because my people have forgotten me. They have burned incense to worthless idols, and they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths.

They walked away from the ancient paths, says Jeremiah. The path describes God's way of life for every believer of every age. Listen to how David prayed in Psalm 25 verse four. He Said Show Me Your Way, Lord, teach me your what your paths lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation on you. I wait all the day.

Psalm 23 verse three more familiar to us because it's the 23rd Psalm he restores my soul he leads me in. Where has of righteousness for his namesake. Psalm 2711 Teach Me Your Way, our Lord, and lead me in a smooth path because of my enemies. Some hundred and 39 verse three you comprehend my path and my lying down and you are acquainted with all my ways. Proverbs 220 and 22 so you may walk in the way of goodness and keep to the paths of righteousness for the upright will dwell in the land and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it. So you see that the Bible speaks of us as being on a journey we are on a path. What is a path. The path is something that takes you from one place to the next. Normally when we think of the path we think of something that hasn't been paid yet, but is just been warned by the traffic that's gone before. The Bible says that all of us as Christians, we are right now we are on a journey were somewhere along the path between where we are and where God ultimately will have us one of the main themes in the book of Proverbs is the contrast between the righteous and the wicked. If you read the book of Proverbs. With that in mind, you will find many illustrations and many metaphors will grab your attention the way of the righteous in the way of the wicked are two different paths in your either on one or the other. The path upon which you walk today will determine your destination tomorrow. Jesus made that very clear when he spoke to us in the sermon on the Mount, and at the end of that sermon. He gave this conclusion, he said entered by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction. There are many who go by because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life and there are few who find it. Matthew 713 and 14 know if you read that passage carefully you will discover that Jesus said there are two gates, the narrow and the wide, there are two ways. The narrow way in the Broadway and there are two groups of travelers.

The many and the few and there are two destinations destruction and life in the two experiences the easy experience in the difficult one. Today I want to talk with you about one of these two ways.

The narrow way the difficult way the way that leads to life, but also leads through some difficult experiences in the journey.

This is part of my story and it's part of yours as well. No matter who you are or how you came to this experience.

Your story is being written even as you are here.

This is a part of the epic of your life and if you happen to be a Christian your story is written on the path of righteousness that leads to glory and eternal fellowship with God.

Look back again at Proverbs 4 in verse 18, and notice it says the path of the just is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The path of the just is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. I want to just leave you with five truths very quickly, as we walk through this, but listen carefully.

First of all, our journey has a definite beginning. Every journey starts somewhere. Amen.

You don't just find yourself on a journey, you start and our journey with God begins when the light of his gospel shines into our heart and we become a Christian, you are not on the right path unless you have been exposed to the light of the word of God and you have accepted Christ as your Savior. The child of God, begins his spiritual life by allowing the light of Jesus Christ to shine in his heart and he is born again, and he begins his journey. His path of the Jost or his path of life. He now occupies. Wherever you are today as a Christian. What you been saying for years or you just came into the family of God. You're on the path that leads to God. The Bible teaches that once you are on that path. You can never get off. You can take a little detours and get lost a little bit along the way with the destination is not in doubt. But all the path can be an interesting experience. As the story is being written. The process that is involved is simply coming to the light. How do we come to the light. First of all, for the conviction of our sin.

Once again, light is involved.

John 319 and 20 and this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil for everyone practicing evil hates the light does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light and his deeds may clearly be seen that they have been done in God so he began on this path by conviction of your sin that you are not walking in the light light from God's word tells us that we are lost. Second Corinthians 4 verse forces whose minds the god of this age is blinded, who do not believe last the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ is the image of God, should shine on them. Let me ask you a question has the light of the gospel of God shines upon your heart. Have you come to a conclusion in your own life that you are a sinner and the light has exposed that and you are now convicted of your sin, and in the process of being convicted. You felt the compassion of the Lord Jesus who comes to you. Notice secondly, the conviction of our sin results in the compassion of our Savior. Verse 46 of John 12 says I have come as a light into the world.

Why, that whosoever believes in me should not abide in darkness, walking along and you realize that you're not on the right path, the conviction of sin begins to take over in your lot when you do you look up and you see that Jesus loved you enough to dine across any set his light into the world so that you might get on the right path and began to know him. Then notice the condition of your salvation once again is related to light. John, a 12 then Jesus spoke to them again, saying I am the light of the world. Now watch this. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness so you see there is a process of getting on this path become convicted of your sin, you realize that God sent his son, the light of the world into the world to be your Savior and then you begin to follow him. You accept him as your Savior. Jesus said I'm the way the truth and the life no man comes to the father except through me.

I have visited the restaurant that has been started by a combination of the set free ministries in our urban ministry at shadow Mountain and this young lady over there by the name of Lisa who was a waitress. Everybody who works at NMS now. Which by the way, is just beautiful restaurant and I'm not promoting a business because is not really a business. It's a ministry every dime that comes in there just goes back to help the people come up with street but it's a transition ministry in many these people who are serving their have been on the streets in the common get saved and they get cleaned up and they teach them the trade and they can get jobs as waitresses and cooks and all that food is great. Sometimes a little bit slow but they're getting better at it in their learning. This young lady by the name of Lisa came over and sat at our table and she told us her story you talk about walking the path of darkness. She had been on the streets for three years she was hooked on drugs and couldn't get off of them.

She tried everything she knew to turn her life around.

Every recovery program and nothing worked. And then she said someone told me about Jesus and she said this is what Jesus can do. She's got a beautiful smile you would never know by looking at her that she never spent one day on the streets. She said her family came to see her when they walked in the restaurant. They didn't know who she was. She said nobody really understands what Jesus can do. She says on what Jesus can do is the one who shines the light into the darkness. If you're not on the path.

His light is shining in your heart today.

Every journey has a beginning, every story has a preface, are you on the path that leads to everlasting life.

Our journey not only has a definite beginning. Our journey takes us to some difficult places. That's a surprise to many people.

If you become a Christian you have difficulty, there's this old thought that goes around that. If you are a Christian all your problems are resolved. When you become a Christian.

Everything is cool when you don't have any stress anymore. Well, nobody, whoever says that really understands what being Christian is all about, nor have they read the Bible very carefully because the Bible does not give us a free pass from the moment of our salvation until we get the glory.

The Bible says the narrow way is the way we walk that there are many who walk the other way, but there just a few that walk the narrow way.

Often there is ridicule. Often there is resistance. I want you to notice that the path of the just sometimes can be difficult but is a protected journey. The path of the just is like the shining lights as the Proverbs that shines ever brighter into the perfect day the way of the wicked is like darkness.

They do not know what makes them stumble the way of the light in the way of darkness are clearly marked out in this passage of Scripture, the path that has the light is the SafePath the path on which the wicked make their way is the path of darkness and trouble.

Would you rather be on a path with a lot of people. It's dark on a short narrow path with a few people were there is light, it's a no-brainer is yet so many people don't understand that principal in the fourth chapter of the book of Proverbs wisdom is brought out most personified in wisdom speaks as a father to his son and says this in the fourth chapter, verses 10 through 12 here, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have let you in the right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. What a wonderful thing to be able to say you've let your children and the right paths. Men, men well start a new year we turn the page. Often we start writing again on the first page that such an throwing thing were just getting started with that. So my question to you is how is your story going house the first chapter. Looking are you walking with the Lord, are you following through on your commitments.

Are you asking God to make you a blessing to other people. We did something to shadow Mountain church and that Turning Point for our Christmas party this year that we've never done before we gave each person who came to the party to envelopes in each of them was filled with $50 and that we told them that the first 50 was for them but they had to give the other 50 way to somebody outside of their family and they were to pray and ask God to that person should be in the stores are pouring in from the things people have done and how God has used that little gift to bless others. That's just an illustration friends as we talk about the life God blesses that God never blesses us for any other major reason that we could bless other people were channels of blessing from God to others and I hope that you're catching that in this series we'll talk some more about that tomorrow as we finish up writing your story Friday. It's the eight spiritual blessings found in Ephesians chapter 1, and I hope you will join us tomorrow.) This crustacean as we come down to the end of our series the life God blesses David Jeremiah thanks for listening.

For more information on Dr. Jeremiah's current series life God blesses please visit our website. We also find two freeways to help you stay connected monthly magazine Turning Points and daily email devotional sign up today Jeremiah.old/writer David Jeremiah.old/writing when you do, please ask you a copy of Jack countrymen's new book, God's blessings just for you 100 inspirational readings and reflections gift of any amount and if you still have devotional for 2021: string day or so companies. It's a great way to get a dose of truth real coffee. When you visit us in David Jeremiah/writing.

I'm very conflicted. Join us tomorrow as we continue the series the life God blesses here on Turning Point for taking time to listen to all