Creation of Creativity

I believe and hold dear that we all, both saved and unsaved, as human beings created by God, we have within us, by that act of creation, the ability and the desire to create; we have within all of us creativity

“We are ourselves creations. We are meant to continue creativity by being creative ourselves. This is the God-force extending itself through us. Creativity is God’s gift to us. Using creativity is our gift back to God.” – Julia Cameron, Heart Steps

“A painter told me that nobody could draw a tree without in some sort becoming a tree; or draw a child by studying the outlines of its form merely . . . but by watching for a time his motions and plays, the painter enters into his nature and can then draw him at every attitude . . .” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

For us to fully be able to talk about creativity, it does become necessary to first discuss creation. Genesis chapter 1 says that in the beginning God created…and God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. Genesis goes on to read that God turned over his beautiful creation to his own creation, by giving us rule over the land and the animals. Also we can look at the result of His creativity and how it reflects the Creator:

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.  Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.  They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.t  Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.  It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.  The sun rises at one end of the heavens
and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.” – Psalm 19:1-6

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” – Romans 1:20

This same creative “gene” is within us. We have this attribute as a gift from the Father for a purpose, and it is our duty to cultivate the gifts of creativity within us, remembering that this is how the Father shaped us.

Immediately after god gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Moses has ascended to the top of Mount Sinai where God has just given him detailed instructions concerning the tabernacle. And now in chapter 31 God tells Moses how the building of the tabernacle is to be accomplished.

“God spoke to Moses:  ”See what I’ve done; I’ve personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah.  I’ve filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him skill and know-how and expertise in every kind of craft to create designs and work in gold, silver, and bronze;  to cut and set gemstones; to carve wood-he’s an all-around craftsman.  Not only that, but I’ve given him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, to work with him. And to all who have an aptitude for crafts I’ve given the skills to make all the things I’ve commanded you.” – Exodus 31:1-6

God Gives Gifts To Whom He Chooses:

Verse 1-2 reads: “God spoke to Moses:  ”See what I’ve done; I’ve personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah.”

The principle of God distributing gifts to us is also found in the spiritual gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12 and Hebrews 2, the motivational gifts found in Romans 12, and the five fold ministry gifts found in Ephesians 4. In all of these examples, the discretion of to whom the gift is for is always on the behalf of the giver.

None of this means that some of has no gifts, absolutely not! We all have been gifted in some way. Some with music, some with art, some with working with your hands, and some with writing words that most hearts can’t express.

The thing to remember is that God being the Father of all creation gave us the gift of creation as well.

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” – James 1:17

Discover the gifts within you, and go wild with them.

Creativity Through The Holy Spirit

“I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship.” Exodus 31:3

It is so important to know that creativity comes through the Holy Spirit.

“the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” – Genesis 1:2

“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (the Holy Spirit), and the man became a living being.  The Holy Spirit is part of all of God’s creative acts, and so it should not surprise us that God also gives us our creative gifts through the Holy Spirit.” – Genesis 2:7

As you study the doctrine of the trinity, it was the Father that sent the Son and then they both sent the Holy Spirit to come and send men & women…The Holy Spirit moves us and moves through us and is always drawing us closer to the Father through the Son. The Holy Spirit is the breath behind our creativity, He is that force that propels us to commune with creation and creativity because He is wanting us to connect to not just those things but with the Master Creator.

Creativity Is Not Just “Art”

“to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship” – Exodus 31:4-5

“We [all] have different gifts, according to the grace given us.” – Romans 12:6

We do not need to limit ourselves to just thinking of the creative arts, but all of us have creative gifts and abilities. Many of us have so many uniqe was of expressing our creativity. Some love to cook, to write, to play music, to paint, and knit,to build things, or design websites & graphics. What ever that little thing with you is, is creativity. We need to dig that out, uncover it, and let it grow. I believe that just this simple act would help so many emotional and spiritual issues.

The Purpose Of Our Creativity

God gives creative gifts for a purpose. Part of that purpose is simply for us to fulfill our role as created beings made in the image of the Creator.  We have also been given these gifts of creativity to fulfill a work that God has for us to do.

“we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10

So our creativity is not only for us, but it it is for a good work. It could be a way of expressing Jesus to others. It could be a way for you to extend healing in a hospital.  It could be a simple way of expressing love to a neighbor. Our creativity is good works.

Our Confrontation with Creativity

Many of us do not believe that we are creative, that we are not the “creative type”. Some see others skill sets and devalue their own.  And some don’t believe what they do or what they offer is creative.

I personally believe this is a trap from the same enemy of your soul that does not want you to become the person that God has called you to be.  Satan is father of all lies and he uses self-doubt to limit us on every front.  We must understand that these self-doubts and lies only limit our ability to share in our relationship with the creator, but when we discard these falsehoods, we can have a more intimate connection through creativity.

Conclusion

You have been, we have been, created by a God who formed within His creation the ability and desire to create.  We have to understand and see this through the work of Jesus, this creativity is within us for a reason.  We all have something within us, given to us by the Father, filled by the Spirit, to proclaim the Gospel of Christ through our creativity.

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I am honored to have another great guest post for you today. Daryl Dudley, Chief Encouragement Officer for Dudley’s B Sharp Music Academy, Dudley Advantage, L.L.C., and many more excellent organizations has allowed us to share an ” NOW ” word for us that he recently posted on his facebook profile. Please leave your comments below and you can contact Mr. Dudley on his facebook page here.  Please open your heart and read this article below. – Ryan Tomlinson

I was watching a compelling documentary about the impoverished families in the nation of Cambodia…..Their level of poverty is well beyond what many, dare I say, ANY Americans have ever experienced. In 2012, whole families, Mom, Dad, and all children wake up in the wee hours of the morning to sort through trash to find plastics and metals that can be recycled.

Can you imagine going to a trash dump, waiting for the neighborhood garbage trucks to unload so that you can sort through the bottles, the rotten food, the soiled diapers…. the SMELLS to find something that will net your family $2.50 per week (yes, my decimal point is in the right place)?

So you ask “What do ‘seeds’ have to do with this scenario”?  So glad you asked:)

Although many of the families gave up hope that their plight would ever afford them an opportunity to move from trash pit to ……….anything better, there were some who knew that God had given each one of them SEEDS of  brighter possibilities, SEEDS of hope, SEEDS of courage, SEEDS of determination.  They knew that if they planted these SEEDS into the lives of their children…their future would indeed be different than their present.

Regardless of your current situation, Regardless of your past mistakes, YOU still have fresh SEEDS in YOUR hands.  SEEDS of a better home, SEEDS of a happier family, SEEDS of a satisfying career, SEEDS of good health.

So Plant on my friends. Plant TODAY knowing that the harvest might not happen in 24 hours, but it will happen in the TOMORROW of your life.   Don’t give up. Just plant the fresh SEEDS that are in YOUR hands.

WARNING:  The Enemy has a garden store full of seeds….seeds of self-doubt, seeds of God-doubt, seeds of disappointment, seeds of fear, seeds of negativity.  STOP planting them NOW!!!!! Remember, they are seeds, and they will grow if planted and watered.

Take inventory of yourself today.  If you have been planting the wrong seeds, make changes IMMEDIATELY.  Put a smile on God’s face by becoming all that HE created you to be!!!!

Stay Encouraged!!!
Daryl S. Dudley
Chief Encouragement Officer

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You can also learn more about Reverend Lynn  and her ministry at her website .

I challenge you to read this post with an open heart today and pray about the weeds in your life that you need remove. As always we welcome your positive comments below either in the Comment box provided or through facebook comments if you are logged in to your account.

A Thorny Problem:

By Rev. Lynn B Fowler

“Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.” Matthew 13:7 (NIV)

Have you ever noticed how weeds grow much more quickly, more strongly and more profusely than the plants that we actually want to grow? One time some years ago I had moved into a new home with a rather large back yard. Since I had been promising myself for some time that if I ever had enough room, I would plant a vegetable garden, I decided that this was the time and place. I thought it would be a nice way of relaxing, taking out the frustrations of the day by physical work. It worked well, for a couple of months. Then my life, as life so often does, took on a life of its own and kept me so busy that I had no time for the garden. It soon degenerated from a vegetable patch to a weed patch in which a few hardy vegetables struggled to survive. Instead of a relaxation, it became one more source of pressure in my life.

Spiritual life works pretty much the same way. The Word of God is good seed, but like our vegetables or flowers, it needs to be watered and cared for in order for it to grow and produce fruit in our lives. The things that hinder the Word, however, need no nurturing at all. They’re there, just waiting to spring up all around us and choke the Word out of our lives.

Interestingly, Jesus divided these “weeds” into two broad groups which on the surface appear to be quite opposite to each other. On the one hand, there are the worries of this life. There’s certainly plenty of those around! For many people it is the worry of a week that lasts longer than the pay packet. For others there is the worry of sickness, or of rebellious children, or of job insecurity. For some there is the overwhelming worry of homelessness. It’s easy to understand how the worry weed can choke out the seed of God’s Word.

The other weed of which Jesus spoke was the deceitfulness of wealth. The deceitfulness of wealth can distract us from the Word in two ways. Firstly, we can become so focused on the pursuit of wealth that we neglect everything else – not only the Word, but sometimes our families, our friends, and even our own health. Secondly, if we have wealth we can become comfortable, and with comfortableness often comes complacency. We have all we need, and no longer see the need for the Word in our lives.

Both these weeds have to be pulled out. We may not be able to change the circumstances of our lives, but we can change our attitudes and our responses. If there are worries and problems in our lives, we can choose to submit them to the Word of God, declaring over our need God’s provision, and keeping our focus on Him. If we have wealth, we can choose not to be deceived by it, but to recognize that all we have comes from the hand of God, and that we are totally dependent upon Him.

We can learn, like Paul, to be content in whatever circumstances life brings to us, and in the midst of those circumstances to allow God’s Word to be the controlling influence in our lives.

Lord, help me to deal with the weeds in my life. Help me to hand all my cares and concerns over to You, before they have a chance to choke out Your Word in my life. When You bless me, help me to walk humbly in that blessing, and not to settle down in comfort and lose sight of my need for You.

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Earlier this week my wife and I were enjoying lunch together and while we were eating we starting dreaming about how we would bless people if we ” had more money. “

We spent several minutes talking about how we would call the Power Company and pay for a random person’s bill that was about to be disconnected. Or we could pay for a family’s Dinner at a restaurant right as we leave and before they get their Check so they wouldn’t know who did it. It was really Easy to sit and think of all of these what if Stories. What if we had more money, What if we had more time. Etc etc.

It was then that we realized, we might not be rich BUT we do not need to wait to have so called ” big money” to bless people in big ways! So before we left we asked God to use us to bless someone.

30 minutes later we went to walmart to grab a couple of quick items. We look at all the 20 items or less lanes and finally decide on the best looking one to get through fastest. Only one person ahead of us and he looks like he is about done. So as we walk up to the line we notice the man in front of us is starting to give groceries back one at a time as the cashier keeps telling him the new adjusted prices after each returned item. The cashier then asked the Man ” How can you make a sandwhich without bread? ” He just looked down and said ” I guess I am going to be on a diet this week”.  At that point my wife was about in tears and told me we needed to pay for the groceries he put back. I was in agreement and wanted to do that but also was nervous at the same time. Here is a complete stranger that is not able to buy the food he needs for a week. Is he going to be embarrased if someone else buys them? I think to myself, it is probably better not to say anything becuase I don’t want him to think we are looking down on him. My wife tells me again, BUY HIS GROCERIES! So I knew this was the Opporunity we just asked God to give us. After the man bought the couple groceries he had I asked him to please wait a minute and told the cashier that we would like to purchase the rest of his groceries. The cashier I guess was pretty shocked becuase for some reason the cashier said “how?” I kinda smiled and said ” with money “.

It wasn’t a lot at all, but we were able to buy milk, bread, crackers and soups. All the man said was. Thank you Sir, thank you Mam. God has been blessing me all day. I didn’t know what I was going to eat this week. And my Name is Joe. I simply said, ” God always provides, nice to meet you Joe.” I even forgot to tell him our names lol

Isn’t God good!!! It blessed us so much more to be able to buy him groceries than it did him. It wasn’t 30 minutes earlier that we were praying that the lord would use us to be a blessing. It was long before we where tested on that request!

Let me challenge you this week to look for opportunties where God can use you to be a blessing to others. I can 100% guarentee you that it will bless you more than you know!

Have you had a similar story how the lord has used you recently or in the past? We would love to hear your thoughts on the post in the comment section below or hear your stories!

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Hello Christian Volume Family!

We are excited to have integrated a blog to our site. Here we will be posting Site Updates, Christian News, Some great Interviews and more! If you know of a great story, message or person to interview please contact us @ blog@christianvolume.com

Please Come back soon and tell your friends

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The history of the National Day of Prayer can be traced back to 1775 as the Continental Congress “designated a time for prayer in forming a new nation.” George Washington proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and prayer in 1795. Lincoln called the nation to prayer at the height of the Civil War, as did Franklin Roosevelt on the eve of D-Day in 1944. The official National Day of Prayer is a rich American tradition and has enjoyed bipartisan support since it was signed into law by President Harry Truman.

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