Our World... God's Story!

By Pastor Gary Morrison

We live in a world today where chaos and uncertainty rule the world. God's story offers the opportunity to thrive and coexist in our own communities. This book offers a chance to help people to connect with God in a relationship that is very different than the fearful world that surrounds us. Our World... God's Story is about a road that leads to the path of righteousness and the kingdom of heaven.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888519202

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Preface

Introduction

Part 1: Discovering God

Part 2: Conquering Evil

Part 3: Faithful Guidance and Leadership

Part 4: Victory with God!

Part 5: Adversaries, Beware!

Part 6: Workers and Servants Unite

Part 7: Our Kingdom Come

Part 8: God Is Great!

Part 9: One Nation under God

Part 10: Glory and Justice of God

Part 11: Wisdom of God and Faith Building

Part 12: Integrity: God's and Ours

Part 13: America in Need of a Revival

Part 14: God's Comfort and Faith

Part 15: Daniel… The Model of Faith!

Part 16: Here Comes the Son

Part 17: Vision Quest

Part 18: Onward Christian Students

Part 19: Equipped: Being Prepared

Part 20: We Are the Church, Not the Building

Part 21: Seasons of Life

Part 22: Harvest Time

Part 23: The Last Dance

Part 24: Connecting to God

Part 25: Hope for a New Day

Epilogue

Sources

About the Author

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Our World... God's Story!

Pastor Gary Morrison

ISBN 979-8-88851-919-6 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88851-920-2 (Digital)

Copyright © 2023 Pastor Gary Morrison

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Preface

What is the world like that we live in today?

We now live in a nation where doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the press destroys information, religion destroys morals and our banks destroy the economy.

—Christopher Hedges

This is the world we live in today.

I am writing this book to make a permanent impact on the lives and world that we live in. My intention is that all who read this book will be blessed by God and His incredible story that He left behind for us to grow, love, share, coexist, and flourish in our world. I am writing this book to leave behind my God-honored legacy. A gift from God for my family, spouse, friends, children, and grandchildren. On that glorious day when Jesus returns, we will meet again in the kingdom of heaven within a new heaven and earth, free from evil and darkness.

I pray that my grandchildren live out their lives in a loving and pleasing way that brings a smile to God's face. I pray that they share God's Word with everyone they meet and that they live out God's story in our world.

This book is based upon the Word of God. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I have given an explanation of God's story and how to apply it to the world we live in today and as a direction of hope for future generations until our Savior Jesus comes to free us from evil, once and for all.

Through the years, I have discovered that instruction in our world encompasses many different ways of thinking, learning, and practicing. We are in great need of moral structuring and integrity in our nation. We desperately need healing and cleansing that can only be achieved by the blood of Jesus infiltrated into our hearts and souls. When this healing and cleansing takes place, the Holy Spirit will take over our lives in the world that we live in today. Contrary to our world, God's instructions, teachings, and narratives follow very clearly defined and straightforward commands. Why the two opposing forces? Because God always knows what is best for us while the world we live in is full of trials and hardships. We may not always understand the ways of God, but that is where faith and trust comes into play. God's Word tells us much about trusting His plans for our lives and future. Even though God is transcendent, He is also always present in our hearts and lives if we reach in obedience to Him in a fruitful relationship.

"Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. Many seek the ruler's favor, but justice comes from the Lord. The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly" (Proverbs 29:25–27 NLT).

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take" (Proverbs 3:5–6).

‘For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope' (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT).

It's never luck. It's always God! To set the record straight in God's story, there is only one way to the Father, God, and it is through His Son, Jesus Christ!

"‘No, we don't know, Lord,' Thomas said. ‘We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?' Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me'" (John 14:5–6 NLT).

In America, nothing will be accomplished with the power and resources in the hands of so few people whose plans are often wicked, destructive, and evil. In the name of Jesus Christ and God the Father, we need repentance and a reforming overhaul in some people's lifestyle, choices, and hearts. We must read, live out, worship, pray, and persevere with the story God has left behind to conquer the evil empire that is now being created. To quote an anonymous source, We must simply show up, when most people quit.

We must restore fellowship with God and learn to be obedient to God's narrative for our lives. I could not find a more appropriate or encouraging message from God's story to fit the narrative of the world that we live in now.

"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near" (Hebrews 10:24–25 NLT).

God's presence and power give sense to prayer and wisdom and make them more powerful in our lives. I cannot stress enough the importance of obedience in fellowship with God. We can learn from David in the book of Chronicles, That the appropriate way to approach God in a relationship and worship is the very manner laid out before us by God Himself (NIV Compact Bible Commentary, p. 279).

God's plans are often extremely detailed within His story as is pointed out here in 1 Chronicles 15:1–2 (NLT), which says, "David now built several buildings for himself in the City of David. He also prepared a place for the Ark of God and set up a special tent for it. Then he commanded, ‘No one except the Levites may carry the Ark of God. The Lord has chosen them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve him forever.'"

This shows not only that David's heart was in the right place but also that he carried out God's plan, right down to the finest detail. David was telling God's story among the nations as a part of worshipping in God's presence. This is all illustrated in 1 Chronicles 16:8–24, 26–36 (NLT) by David himself, when he says:

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given, you children of his servant Israel, you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones. He is the Lord our God. His justice is seen throughout the land. Remember his covenant forever—the commitment he made to a thousand generations. This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant: I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession. He said this when you were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf: Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets. Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens! Honor and majesty surround him; strength and joy fill his dwelling. O nations of the world, recognize the Lord, recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations, The Lord reigns! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Cry out, Save us, O God of our salvation! Gather and rescue us from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you. Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting! And all the people shouted Amen! and praised the Lord.

I know we are not David, and we don't know how to mentor and teach others how to be obedient, faithful, trusting, and living in fellowship with God. Our world is so busy with all that is happening in our lives. May I suggest hosting a fellowship meeting once weekly with our friends, family, and neighbors. Whether we want to call it a Bible study or small groups, it is important fellowship in teaching the story of God. We can all do it! We need to gather together to discuss and learn from each other about incorporating God's Word into our daily routine and world. My longtime high school friend, Scott W. Kallgren, responded with this message, So bogged down in our own habits and behaviors that we don't realize how much we have contributed to our own houses becoming like silos that are impenetrable by neighbors.

What if we gathered together to share God's story? How different would our world be? Don't be afraid to discuss God's story with your children. To some, it may seem strange, but believe me, our children and grandchildren are longing for a good role model and mentor that will lead them to righteousness and faith, instead of being in love with their phones, social media, and iPads. They are longing for love and growing in the ways of God's love and story. There is so much joy in knowing Christ in a relationship and fellowship.

In Ephesians chapter 4, God's plan and narrative tells us this story:

With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. But that isn't what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:17–18, 20–24, 31–32 NLT)

How do we explain God's story to others? God explains how in His instruction manual called the Bible. If we never open the book, we will never open up the world to a new and better understanding of the world and the glory of the kingdom of heaven. Fear not, Jesus will return to establish His reign and kingdom and judge the world.

The Word of God inside of us is like a weapon that destroys all evil surrounding us in our hectic world.

Whether you receive a blessing or not, always give thanks to God for all you have. In essence, everything is a blessing from God. Always remember: you are owned by nobody. You are a slave to no one.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus, would put it this way: A true relationship with me is a journey without an ending.

Instead, you are a child of God made in His image, and the servant of Christ Jesus. This is what separates our world from God's story. The sooner we realize it, the better off our world will be. We must stand up to the evil that surrounds us every day and pass along the message God has left behind through His Word that we must share with all people and future generations. We can make a difference or at least die trying!

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him" (Psalm 24:1 NLT).

As followers of Christ, we cannot stand back and let evil take over our lives. We must boldly speak out and share God's story. "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are" (1 Peter 5:8–9 NLT). We can no longer be the silent voice that allows evil to penetrate our lives in the world we live in today. We must teach and share God's story with everyone we meet or our nation will become disconnected from God, and we will suffer an apostasy within our lifetime in this country. We cannot tolerate evil from taking over in our world. It is God's story that will ultimately conquer and defeat the evil enemy from its desired takeover.

We must train, protect, and teach our children and grandchildren the importance of God's story and the impact it has upon our lives, especially taking advantage of children and brainwashing them with sexualization and other harmful ideologies that are not acceptable to God. God's story warns about taking advantage of children, and we don't want to be on the wrong side of the fence, when it comes to indoctrinating children. God cares about how children are raised and nurtured.

God makes a bold statement about children and loyalty toward the Father in heaven.

I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace. You will be secure under a government that is just and fair. Your enemies will stay far away. You will live in peace, and terror will not come near. If any nation comes to fight you, it is not because I sent them. Whoever attacks you will go down in defeat. (Isaiah 54:13–15 NLT)

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it. Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. (Mark 10:13–16 NLT)

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God (Romans 8:14 NLT).

Do not overthink the story of God. Keep it simple, and keep it childlike. God's plan for our lives is straightforward.

Introduction

The purpose of God's story is to help people to discover a relationship with Christ. Not to fill up church buildings or have large numbers of members. We are to reconcile people to Jesus and save them from the wrath to come.

As long as God's story can be open to be discussed and read, I will see to it that my grandchildren will live in tune with God's narrative and blessings for their future. I have to trust that my grandkids will never forget my prayers, blessings, and way of life that God desires for them to live. We must not allow the deceitful people who are ushering in a position of darkness in our world to destroy humanity and the way that God wants us to live together. It is God's law that regulates the lives of everyday people, just as was stated long ago in Leviticus for the Israelites.

Some people look at our world and think there must be lights burning brightly somewhere, and there are others who look to God and find a way for light to shine through their actions. God wants workers who find a way to get results and not dreamers who sit back and watch. Be a leader for the kingdom of God. Micah 6:8 (NLT) connects our faith with our actions, our care for those in need within our walk with God, and it says, "No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

Nonbelievers may ask, Where is the proof that your God is real? My response would be to explain this happening in God's story in Joshua, in a scientific way or any other context.

On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said, Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon. So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer. Surely the Lord fought for Israel that day! (Joshua 10:12–14 NLT)

To all the nonbeliever skeptics I have proposed this question to, I am still waiting for the answer. The answer is simple. This event was an act of my God! Some religious scholars believe that this narrative was written in poetic terms, while others believe that it literally means the sun and moon stood still. In my opinion, this narrative was based upon an act of God Almighty. Argue if you want. The moral of this story is that, logically, God answers prayers, which supports the evidence for the truth, reality, and existence of God. Much of Joshua speaks of battles and victories. It is plain to see with faith and trust in God, you will be victorious in your life journey.

Every day, in our relationship with God, we face challenges, but we must remember that during our time on this earth, we never reach the finish line. Our work for God, just as it was for Joshua, is to remain committed