A Consecrated Mind – Part 4

A Consecrated Mind – Part 4

Everyone has a story. Who is writing your story?

The theme of our camp last weeks was “Stories Rewritten”
All last week as a leadership team, we tried to communicate that God re-writes our story.
Song – Father’s House – “Failure won't define me 'cause that's what my Father does.” – “The story isn't over, if the story isn't good, Failure's never final when the Father is in the room.”

A story narrative is how we communicate – As events happen around us, our brains organize information in narrative form to explain things to make sense of what is happening throughout our life and this forms our reality.
There is a whole bunch of science with this that I don’t have time to go into.
As kids, when we tried to tell mom what happened, they would often say something like, “start at the beginning.”

We believe the story we tell ourselves. (What does that mean?)
So the question I want to ask is: Does our story we believe align with God’s Story?
Does the story we tell ourselves have God’s reality at its center?

Text: Ephesians 1:17-23
Eph 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (NIV)

Eph.1:19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power
20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.
22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.
23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. (NLT)

Eph.1:20-:22 “…God raised Jesus from the death and set Him on a throne in deep heaven , in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power is except from His rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything….” (Message Bible)

Is my heart confidence that Jesus is absolute Lord of everything – in the galaxy - on earth – with governments – in my life?

What is the story my that heart thinks is unfolding?
What narrative has my attention?
Is it a political narrative? Social justice narrative? Is it about economy?
Mostly important, is it the story God is telling?

Am I confident that “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose…” Rom 8:28
Am I confident that my life - my future is orchestrated by the God that hold the universe in the center of His hand?
Is Jesus Christ absolutely central to the narrative I believe?

Rember a few messages back we talked about Scripture warns us that we live in a battle for the truth – who gets to determine the narrative for you?
Every time we check the news, social media, or simply open our email, we are bombarded with competing narratives.

I often talk about faith-based imagination.
What other bases are there? Fear based, flesh based, pessimistic based, optimistic based,
Am I willing to consecrate my “imagination” to God?

Father I consecrate my mind to You.
I give You my thoughts, my focus, and attention.
I give you my memory and recall, my understanding and imagination.
I consecrate to you my interpretation of events in my life.
I give to you the narrative of my story.
Holy Spirit target places I need to renew Your truth in me.