From Dust to Glory: The Story Line of the Bible (God’S Master Plan)

Copyright © 2016 Don Dees.

dondeesbook.com

Edited by: Gatlyn Anderson (Norman, Oklahoma); Many of these ideas and stories were sermons from: Alistair Begg (Senior Pastor of Cleveland Ohio's Parkside Church and Truth for Life Bible Teaching Radio Ministry)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-4346-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4347-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016908323

WestBow Press rev. date: 6/6/2016

Outline

Preface --- Introduction to the Bible

Chapter 1---From Dust to Glory - The Story Line of the Bible (God's Master Plan)

Chapter 2---God Rescues His Children from the Kidnapper

Portraits of Jesus in the Bible

Chapter 3---Jesus Savior of the World

Chapter 4---Jesus The Sacrifice for My Sins (The Lamb of God)

Chapter 5---Jesus The Light of the World

Chapter 6---Jesus The Living Water

Chapter 7---Jesus The Bread of Life

Chapter 8---Jesus The Great Shepherd of the Sheep

Chapter 9---Jesus Our Scarlet Cord & Savior

Chapter 10---Jesus Wonderful Counselor

Chapter 11---Jesus Mighty God

Chapter 12---Jesus Everlasting Father

Chapter 13---Jesus Prince of Peace

Chapter 14---Jesus Prophet

Chapter 15---Jesus Priest

Chapter 16---Jesus as King

Chapter 17---Two Reactions to the Human Dilemma

Chapter 18---Five Promises God has made you

Chapter 19---Prayer from Augusta

Chapter 20---Sinner's Prayer

Appendix

Key Codes used in this Book

1. BOLD lettering is used for direct quotes from the Bible.

2. BOLD LETTERING WITH ALL CAPITAL LETTERS IS USED FOR ALL DIRECT QUOTES FROM JESUS.

3. Italic is used to show lyrics from hymns and songs.

Note to the Readers

Any and all proceeds from the sale of this book will be returned to God; by continuing to spread the word about our Savior Jesus Christ.

All proceeds of this book will be used as follows:

➢ Spread the radio broadcast of the Truth for Life Bible Teaching Radio Ministry by Alistair Begg, Senior Pastor of Cleveland Ohio's Parkside Church

➢ Spread the Word of God in China by publishing and distributing this book From Dust to Glory; The Story Line of the Bible (God's Master Plan)

➢ Spread the Word of God in China by distributing Bibles in Chinese

Christ for the world, for the world needs Christ

Check out Don's second book; The Devil's Playbook; a Book About Jesus

Preface --- Introduction to the Bible

The following is a very short explanation about God and his Son, Jesus Christ. We pray that the Holy Spirit will touch your heart and move you to come to know and accept the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ.

There are only two (2) basic premises of how the Universe was created; either by;

1. EVOLUTION -- The Universe was created by ACCIDENT

2. GOD -- A PERFECTLY ORGANIZED ORIGIN of both the Universe and Mankind

After studying the sciences, you will discover that there had to be a great genius behind the creation of the heavens and the earth. You will see a very organized, cohesive, and amazing design between the universe, the earth, and mankind. Somebody had to be behind all of this design; this cannot be some sort of cosmic big bang accident. If you sit back and think, you also will come to the conclusion that this cannot be accidental and only God could create such perfection.

In the beginning, God created man, but man disobeyed God. Because of this disobedience, God and man have been separated down through history, even until today.

God desired reconciliation with Man, so God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to enable man to be reunited with God. Jesus Christ was God, who took it upon Himself, to live amongst us in the form of a man. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ shook the world when He died on a cross and then rose from the dead three days later. Through Jesus Christ, God developed a very easy way for man to find his way back to God.

We are praying for you; we are praying that God will bring you to the realization of the fact that someday your Expiration Date will time out and on that day you will die and leave your life on this earth. After you die, you will stand in front of God and give an account of your life; including every sin that you have committed. We are praying that before you die, you will come to know Jesus Christ and that you will accept this gift from Jesus. This gift is the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, a new nature while you live here on earth, and eternal life in Heaven with God and Jesus after you die.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Have you met Jesus yet? Jesus wants to save you. Jesus wants to forgive you of your sins and bring you back into a relationship with God.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus paved the way for you to have eternal life when He died on the cross to pay for your sins.

John 3:16

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

Jesus wants to know you and call you His own. Jesus paid your debt; He paid for your sins when He died for you on the cross. Jesus died so that you could be reconciled with God.

We pray that God will someday allow this fallen world to bring you to your knees. You will be brought to your knees and you will pray to God to help you. You will cry out to Jesus Christ for help. You will cry out; Jesus please help me, this problem is too much for me to bear. I cannot handle this problem. Jesus, I need your help. After you pray this prayer, a miracle will happen in you; you will want to start learning about Jesus Christ and reading and studying the Bible. Jesus will change your life here on earth and for eternity in Heaven.

CHAPTER 1

From Dust to Glory - The Story Line of the Bible (God's Master Plan)

1.1. Sin and the Fall of Man away from God

Genesis Chapter 1 and 2 -- Man Walks with God

God created everything. God brought order and light from darkness, emptiness, and formlessness. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). God created man and woman in His image so that they could communicate and have a relationship with God. Man and woman were blessed with perfection; no disease, no deterioration of the body, and no death. They were placed in a perfect Garden where they walked and talked with God every day. There was a perfect Love that permeated the Garden. They ruled the entire Garden and only had one simple rule from God to obey: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17). From the beginning, God gave mankind the ability to choose between good and evil, right and wrong, the opportunity to display faithfulness and devotion to God.

Genesis Chapter 3 -- Man Sins against God

When Adam and Eve (Man) sinned and turned their backs on God, a huge gap, a canyon, was created between Man and God. Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, committed the first sin. The perfect Love that had existed in the Garden no longer existed in the fallen world. This sin dislocated the relationship with God for all of Mankind. They were disobedient towards God. Since the Garden of Eden, everyone (except Jesus) has sinned against God. Through this sin, we were deceived, won over, and kidnapped by Satan (the serpent in the garden): separated from our Father God who created us and loves us.

Colossians 1:21

Paul says; And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies (of God) in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.

This sin is the barrier between God and Man (between God and you and me).

1.2. God's Master Plan: To pay the Ransom in order to Buy Back His Children (even though they have sinned against Him)

John 3:16

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

The God of Grace comes to Mankind (who has sinned against Him); He freely pours out His Mercy and Grace and tries to do everything possible to melt our hardened hearts. God wants to win every person back into His family through the Blood of Jesus Christ (God's only Son, who died for you and me).

Mark 10:45

FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE MINISTERED UNTO, BUT TO MINISTER, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY.

God sent His only Son Jesus, to die as a ransom, to pay for our sins.

God's master plan is to assemble together all the true believers and followers of Jesus Christ together forever in eternity in Heaven. God's Master Plan gathers the followers of Jesus: from all nations, tribes, peoples, and languages.

1.3. The Storyline of the Bible is anchored between two (2) points:

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, God's promise to Abraham was that he would be very fruitful with children and these children would be the beginning of nations.

Genesis 15:5

And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

Genesis 17:6

And I (God) will make thee (Abraham) exceeding fruitful, and I (God) will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee (Abraham).

In the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, God's promise to Abraham comes true and we see the many followers of Jesus Christ are back again with God in Heaven.

Revelation 7:9

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb (Jesus), clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Revelation 22:1-5

In the last Chapter of Revelation, the followers of Jesus are in Heaven walking with God for eternity. This mirrors the Garden of Eden and our walk with God mentioned in the first two chapters of Genesis.

Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Revelation 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

Revelation 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

Revelation 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

The followers of Jesus Christ will live in heaven with God (and His Son Jesus); forever in His glory.

1.4. Closing

From Dust to Glory; the Bible is always looking toward