I've always enjoyed creating word pictures, images hidden within art or charts that help bring understanding to concepts and principles. It's inspiring to create teaching tools, how to guides, flow charts, procedure manuals. When I think back it all started with this little number picture that my dad drew out. It was the coolest thing to me.
Creativity highlighting layers upon layers of meaning and purpose is very motivating and inspiring. It helps learning and growing in knowledge to be fun and effective at any age. Moreover, the most critical aspect of growing in knowledge, whatever the method, is maturing in truth and wisdom. It is possible to be so smart yet have knowledge with foundations of false information because wisdom is not applied. Wisdom is knowing the difference between what's true or false, good or evil and then choosing truth and goodness. Truth is confusing in the world only because we don't look at Christ, and put into action his ways and his teachings. To do so would change everything, BUT to do so would mean we are obeying him through the Holy Spirit.
Creating tools that help truth and wisdom to be known and applied is critical, motivating and inspiring. The Bible has to be the most inspiring and motivating teaching tool in this regard. Within it are layers upon layers of purpose and meaning, truth, life and encouragement for our souls. If you like word puzzles or story pictures or creative lessons then you can see all that in the parables of Jesus, the stories of the Old Testament, and the symbolism in Revelation about our world. All of it is relevant to us today. There are easier parallels then others, but if you like going deeper and deeper into the good of life then the Bible is your book. The Bible was given to us by God himself, through the Holy Spirit inspiring men who fear God, to guide us into all truth and wisdom. It has been cast out into all the world through the generations for all to learn and ultimately TO DO.
TO DO what the Bible teaches is the point of life. To experience the resurrection life Jesus has made possible for us. To not just be hearers of the word but doers, because if we hear it, and don't do it we deceive ourselves.
So many are caught in the crosshairs of false teachings, our own flesh battles without victory, and the onslaught of the enemy's purpose to 1. distract us from reading the Bible on our own, and 2. to prevent us from seeking our Creator through prayer and fasting. We are caught, but not stuck. The goal is to become free in the Spirit to do the word of God. To stop spinning and trying and to finally do. And this power to become free is found only in the free gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ and his transforming of our minds through his Word. Jesus has said, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2
What we are doing in this world, and where we have ended up is based upon our thoughts and ideas. And those have been influenced by what we have taken into our senses. God has provided an endless supply of life for us and the alternative is death, and Satan will gladly help us please our senses for death.
What God said in Deuteronomy still applies to us today. God has said, "For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."” Deuteronomy 30:11-20 ESV
"When we put on the helmet of salvation each day, we are essentially strapping ultimate hope to our heads. When our minds and our outlook are focused on Jesus and on him alone, we are protected against the despair and discouragement that inevitably come in this life. Salvation reminds us that even the most unfortunate circumstances can't change the fact that our lives are eternally secure in Christ....For every action you take, your brain creates a neurological pathways that paves the way for familiarity, so that the next time you take that action, your mind already knows what to do. As you repeat behaviors over and over, those pathways become increasingly more stable. Think of it this way: a single behavior maps out a dirt road in your brain, creating a basic pathway on which your thoughts travel. But as you repeat behaviors, your brain builds a concrete highway, which allows for increased volume and frequency of thoughts to move about more effectively and more efficiently." Jack Graham
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8-9 ESV
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13 ESV
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