Have to start some where….

The idea or motivation behind this blog is based on  John 3:30 “He must increase and I must decrease” and Philippians 1:21 “for to me to live is CHRIST and to die is gain”.  The very title of this blog should suggest that the focus is not on me and my life’s twists, trials, and triumphs, and but rather on my Creator.  Who by specific and purposeful design, created me for His glory, that I may reflect His shared attributes [although it be an imperfect reflection for now], and thus be a living, breathing, and walking testimony of Elohim.  My hope and prayer is that the simple yet profound truths of the Gospel are displayed daily in my life as I document my journey of becoming less, and that there is ample witness and evidence of Christ becoming greater in my life, as I live out my God given and written days.

My journey began years ago, but I don’t intend this blog to be an autobiography of my life, but rather a biography of the Triune God-head working in my life.  There will be bits and pieces of the my old life, when “Dan” was all “Dan”, and no Christ, but the things I share is mostly just to draw out and highlight the greatness of the Lord.  Kinda like that $5 black velvet swatch that jewelers display thousands of dollars worth of diamonds on, the buyer hardly notices the black swatch because the beauty of the diamond is enhanced on the backdrop of that plain and practically worthless black swatch.

In one sense that is our role on earth as God’s chosen.  We are plain blank swatches, and separate from Christ, we are practically worthless.  But when God choses us, we are “set apart” and given purpose to display His love, namely His Son Jesus Christ.  There is nothing special about that particular black swatch, with the exception, that it was chosen.  It possessed no talent or gifts in itself that gave it worth to the “Jeweler”, it was identical in value, as other swatches on the counter, prior to the will of the “Jeweler” setting it apart for a specific and purposeful use, which was to display the beauty of the diamond.

Much like all human illustrations they don’t correctly exemplify the fullness and gravity of the biblical truth trying to be understood.  For example our role goes much deeper and wider than just displaying Gods love, which is defined by John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16, but rather as Paul writes to the Ephesians, we are “his workmanship created in CHRIST JESUS for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”[Eph 2:10 ESV emphasis added].  We were created for good works, which unlike the black swatch illustration portrays an active role.  The only passivity in our sanctification, should be the passivity of taking credit for what God through His matchless grace and Holy Spirit has accomplished in us.  However our roles on earth, as ambassadors, saints, exiles and co-heirs with Christ, should be a very proactive one.  As evidence by scripture {Matt 28:18-20, Matt 5:16, Matt 25:35-40, 2 Cor 5:20, 1 Peter 2:11, Romans 8:17}. We are called to actively share Gods love and grace through proclaiming the Gospel with our mouths and represent Christ with our actions, as well as actively abstain from the passions of the flesh, or as James puts it “keep oneself unstained from the world” [1:27]. In order to remain unstained in a world full of filth it takes a synergestic effort between us and God’s Holy Spirit that He gave us to oppose the flesh [Gal 5:17].

This blog is intended to be the black velvet swatch to display the beauty of God’s love in my life, which is Christ, with the purpose to glorify my King, by sharing the work that He has done and is doing on my life.  I will be sharing passages and the lessons that He is teaching me through His living and active Word, as I traverse this life being empowered and fueled by His Spirit.  I welcome all thoughts, opinions, and critiques, as i hope to mutually encourage and be encouraged.  I pray and trust that God may be glorified to the fullest as I share in real time my journey to lose myself, and that Paul’s words to the Philippians may ring truer and louder each day that God gifts to me, so that I see more clearly that the breath that God put in my lungs today was intended to expel Christ out of my lips and through my actions, then I too, can say from the bottom of my heart “to live is CHRIST, to die is gain”. That every breath given to me, is used to glorify the King of Kings and the the Lord of Lords, whether it be through words or actions. That will come, when through the power of Gods Word and Spirit, I am able to decrease daily,  humbling myself and holding fast to the hope, that at the appointed time God will exalt me [1 Peter 5:6].