Good Morning Gorgeous,
It’s a brand NEW day. A fresh new start. And+ His mercies are NEW every Morning!
It’s December 3rd, so I am two days behind, but I’m starting anyway and we will get caught up together!
For several years now, I’ve blogged each day leading up to December 25th. Christmas Day!
And THIS year, I’ve compiled my writings on 25 Names of Jesus into a BOOK!
It’s available on Amazon as a softcover and a hardcover. It’s a beautiful FULL color coffee table book that takes the reader through 25 Revealed Names of Jesus Christ and focuses on salvation, fulfilled prophecy, and prophecy still to unfold as we anticipate Jesus’s 2nd coming!
So for Advent, I’ll be posting each Name here for you to reflect, meditate, and pray.
If you want to gift someone the Journey through the Names of Christ or you want your own copy, it’s available on Amazon.
Day 1 : Author and Finisher!
The writer of Hebrews, whom many scholars believe was Paul, wrote that Jesus was the Author and the Finisher of our faith. The Author. Pause on that word and let it wash over you. Author. Author. Author. The writer of YOUR faith. Authors take a blank page, a blank screen, and an alphabet of letters and bring something NEW into being. A NEW narrative that wasn’t there before, a plot twist no one ever saw coming, a redemption after the loss, and a completion of the story. Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things, authored your story. He spoke, and the entire universe came to be! He spoke the Word, and light broke forth. He spoke, and water and land separated. He spoke, and the oceans were filled with life, and birds began to fly. He spoke, and land animals appeared.
Then, He looked around at His incredible creation with all of its diversity and creativity and said, “Let us make man in our image.” He stooped down and put His Hands into the dust of the earth and formed Adam. He breathed the breath of life into Him. Then, the Lord entrusted Adam with naming all of the animals and gave him authority and assignment over the garden. This is the opening of Genesis, but did you know that you were Authored by God BEFORE this part of the story?
BEFORE, God even said,
“Let there be light.”
You already WERE.
Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Ephesians 1: 4
This verse shows that you were chosen by Jesus even before the foundation of the world. Pause, and soak that in. Jesus Christ is intentional, purposeful, and incredibly detail-oriented. You are here on planet Earth by design, intention, and purpose. Jesus authored you, and the writer of Hebrews states that He also authored salvation. He walked the earth in the flesh and humanity of man. He lived a perfect, spotless, blameless life and then endured the cross with you on His mind. He died a sinner’s death, and YET because He is the author of life itself, death could not hold Him! He rose from the dead and canceled the curse of death over humanity. He authored a brand NEW way to salvation that is now freely available to all who call on the name- Jesus!
Now, we get saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. He authored that saving grace right into your story! Not only did He author grace, author salvation, author faith, and author you. He authored your faith walk and invited you to say yes to Him and receive it. And here is a bold promise! He who authored your faith WILL carry it to completion. He who began this good work in you will finish it! He is not just the AUTHOR but also the FINISHER!
He authored you AND your faith in Him. He has been writing your story since before the foundation of the world. Jesus has begun a good work in you. And, as you rest in Him, surrender to Him, lean on Him, and choose Him, He is faithful to COMPLETE what He started! He is writing a story filled with breakthroughs, gifting, anointing, and calling! He is writing into your story divine appointments and God-given friendships. He is adding in fruits of the Spirit and positioning you to be a mighty vessel for the Kingdom of God! And through it all, we are IN PROCESS!
Some days, you may wish to speed up the completion process. You may get frustrated with your slow growth, hang-ups, and weaknesses. Yet, you can rest assured that He will finish what He started. Speak these truths aloud:
-I am in process.
-He who began a good work in me promised to complete it.
-His power is shown when I am weak.
-He is the author and the finisher of my faith.
-He is faithful and will continue to lead me as I seek Him in all things.
To be in process means you are in the most amazing Hands! You are held in the very Hands that created you, formed you, fashioned you, and chose you. He is molding, crafting, shaping, and growing your inner spirit so that you can bear MUCH fruit for the Kingdom of God. Rest and allow Him to work in you and through you. Trust that He is working it all out even on the toughest of days.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for choosing me! Thank You for being the very Author of this faith growing inside me. Thank You for the promise that You began this work in me, and You will ALSO carry it out to completion. Lord, I surrender fully and entirely to Your authorship of every detail of my life. I repent for trying to write my own story separately from Your will. Come and redeem the time lost by my selfish rebellion and keep me on the narrow road that leads to life. Let every breath that I breathe, every word I speak, and every step I take align with Your plans for my life. I submit afresh to You this season as the Author and Finisher of my faith.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
Where to buy the book?
soft cover https://a.co/d/03tg5FP
hardcover https://a.co/d/gL0FfEg
Blessings this Christmas!
Vanessa Lynn
