{"id":1080,"date":"2026-09-06T18:14:45","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T18:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carolinebongo.com\/blog\/?p=1080"},"modified":"2026-09-06T18:28:49","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T18:28:49","slug":"the-story-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carolinebongo.com\/blog\/the-story-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"The story of God"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Apparently, We Humans Have Been Complicated From the Beginning \ud83d\ude02<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today Jim Hall took us through The Story of God<\/strong>, and somewhere between Genesis, rebellious angels, Noah, Babel, sheep, goats and spiritual warfare, I realized something:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human beings have been giving God headaches since approximately Genesis chapter 3.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

God creates this beautiful world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trees. Rivers. Animals. Food growing everywhere. No rent. No electricity bill. No car transmission problems. No calories to count. \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then He creates human beings in His image and gives them this incredible privilege of walking with Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is basically ONE major restriction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And what do we do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, we become extremely obsessed in the one thing God said not to touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to humanity. \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But something much bigger was happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The serpent in the garden represented a rebellion that had already begun in the spiritual realm. God had created spiritual beings as well as human beings, and His creatures were capable of choosing obedience or rebellion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here is something that stayed with me:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choices matter.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes enormously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adam and Eve\u2019s choice didn\u2019t remain Adam and Eve\u2019s problem. Sin entered the human story, and it spread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the next generation, Cain is killing Abel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few chapters later, things are so bad we have Noah and the Flood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God rescues Noah, humanity gets another beginning and you would think:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excellent. We have learned our lesson.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few chapters later humanity gathers at Babel and says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet us make a name for ourselves.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There we go again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God: Trust Me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humanity: We have another idea.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

God: Follow Me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humanity: Interesting. But have You seen our tower?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And suddenly I began seeing the thread running through the entire Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fundamental human problem isn\u2019t merely that occasionally we do naughty things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We want to be our own lord.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why Samuel\u2019s words to Saul are so powerful:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God doesn\u2019t merely want sacrifice. He wants obedience.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can sing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go to church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carry the biggest Bible in the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know exactly when to say \u201cAmen!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And still resist God in the one area where He is saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGive this to Me.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That one stepped on my toes a little. \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then Jim moved into something Western Christianity sometimes doesn\u2019t quite know what to do with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the supernatural world.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We live in a culture that is very comfortable talking about what can be measured, photographed, weighed and put into an Excel spreadsheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s supernatural <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But Christianity is a supernatural faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible talks openly about angels, rebellious spiritual beings, Satan, spiritual powers and spiritual warfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ephesians 6:12 says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur struggle is not against flesh and blood\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meaning sometimes that person irritating you may not actually be the biggest battle you\u2019re fighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please note: this does NOT mean every irritating person has a demon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people are perfectly capable of irritating us all by themselves. \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Scripture tells us there is an unseen dimension to the world we inhabit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jim said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were born into a spiritual battlefield.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why Peter says to be alert and sober-minded because our enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But here is what I loved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The message wasn\u2019t:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BE AFRAID! THERE ARE DEMONS EVERYWHERE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God doesn\u2019t leave His children standing on the battlefield holding a teaspoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ephesians 6 says we have armor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Righteousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Word of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then 1 John 4:4 gives us the confidence from which we fight:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now THAT will preach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then Jim said something that sent my brain wandering down another little theological road:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPride is an unrealistic evaluation of who you are.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And immediately I wondered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then what about low self-esteem? What about losing your identity?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because we normally think pride means:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am amazing. Look at me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But perhaps pride and broken identity can sometimes sit on opposite sides of the same problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both can disagree with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pride says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am more than God says I am.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broken identity says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am less than God says I am.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humility says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGod, You tell me who I am.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That one I am taking home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humility isn\u2019t walking around announcing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am useless. I am nothing. I cannot do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That isn\u2019t necessarily humility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humility is seeing yourself truthfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am not God.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank goodness, because managing my own household is already enough work. \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I am also not worthless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am created in His image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loved by Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dependent upon Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Called by Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And accountable to Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then we came back to Genesis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because right there in the wreckage of humanity\u2019s first rebellion, God had already whispered the ending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesis 3:15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A descendant of the woman would come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The serpent would strike His heel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But He would crush the serpent\u2019s head.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humanity has barely fallen and God is already talking about rescue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bible then becomes this enormous story moving toward that promised One.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generation after generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kingdom after kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebellion after rebellion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until eventually the descendant arrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And suddenly the cure isn\u2019t a philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It isn\u2019t better politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It isn\u2019t education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It isn\u2019t money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It isn\u2019t even religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cure is a Person.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That second word matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because sometimes we want Jesus as Savior:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord, please rescue me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Lord?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wait\u2026 You mean You also want to tell me what to do?<\/em> \ud83d\ude33\ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because salvation isn\u2019t merely Jesus getting us out of trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is reconciliation with the God from whom humanity has been running since Eden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that begins with something our pride absolutely hates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

admission.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a sinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need a Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I cannot save myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a cure, but first I have to admit that I am sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jim ended with Jesus\u2019 words in Matthew 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One day Christ separates humanity like a shepherd separates sheep from goats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And suddenly the story that began in Genesis becomes deeply personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is judgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is eternal punishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there is also eternal life<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there is a choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can continue humanity\u2019s ancient declaration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will be my own lord.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or we can finally surrender and say:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJesus, You are Savior and Lord.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Receive Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obey Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be baptized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walk with Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because here is what I carried away from church today:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The serpent entered the story early\u2014but he does not get to write the ending.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sin doesn\u2019t get the ending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Death doesn\u2019t get the ending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebellious powers don\u2019t get the ending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our failures don\u2019t even get the ending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus does.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And perhaps that is the most beautiful thing about The Story of God<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Eden, humanity has been wandering, rebelling, building towers, making terrible choices, getting ourselves into situations and then looking toward heaven like,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLord\u2026 so\u2026 about that thing I did\u2026\u201d<\/strong> \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And generation after generation, the story keeps moving toward the same answer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The promised One.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The serpent crusher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a cure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And after thousands of years of humanity trying practically everything else\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His name is still Jesus.<\/strong> \u2764\ufe0f<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
George and kids from Church<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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