WHAT’S YOUR POV?

In her teen years our daughter constantly bemoaned “You love my brother better than me.” Followed by a long list of why she believed I loved him best. There was no convincing her I loved each of them and didn’t play favorites. This was her perception. Her reality. Her POV.
One of the first things a writer must decide when crafting a story is who is your point of view character? Who is telling the story and in what tense? First person—from your main character or protagonist view point—past or present tense. Or third person, an outsider’s view point—past or present tense.
Whichever POV the author chooses must be followed without deviation throughout the story. But in real time there are only two points of view in which we can live our life story. God’s or Satan’s. That’s it folks, regardless what your professors or family or even preachers have told you. Regardless of what you think you think.
God’s POV is based on forgiveness, restoration, love and eternal life with Him. Satan’s plot line is deception, destruction and death and he will lie, cheat, steal and murder to ensnare you in his POV. His goal? To separate you from God forever.
Bill Gilham says: “Satan speaks in first person singular, with a southern accent.” That would be for us folks in the South…in other locales, you pick your accent.
Let me explain. You stand in front of the mirror and hear in your head, “My nose is too long. I’m ugly. Nobody likes me. I’m worthless. I should just end it all now.” You get the picture, and you can listen to the news or movies or friends to find out what other lies this enemy of your soul whispers, shouts, and screams. And the more you listen to that voice, the more you are lured into his web of lies. You perceive you’re hearing truth, but you’ve become accustomed to hearing your story from Satan’s POV.
Step back and reason with me, if God created you in His image is any one of us ugly in His sight? Worthless? Impossible to love? Of course not. And if we know the nature of God and the nature of Satan, it’s not difficult to identify the source of the voice. But how can you cross-your-heart-and-hope-to-die know for sure? God’s story is written down, recorded by Him forever in the Bible.
God’s promises or Satan’s lies? And you get to choose.
But if you don’t have all the information how can you make an educated choice?

Prism Books is about to release my good friend and writer, Julie Cosgrove’s new book “Legitimate Lies.” The POV character is the same as in the first book in this series “Hush in the Storm.” Those of us who’ve read Julie’s first book know Jen. We know what she’s been through. We know her personality. We know her standards and her heart’s desire. Those who begin with the second book won’t know the background like those of us who’ve been with Julie since the beginning.
God lays the in the beginning foundation for us in the Old Testament by telling us where we came from, where we’re going, who He is, and what He’s going to do—multiplied hundreds of years before what He tells us occurs.

The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, revealing to all who will read and believe God’s intervention and solution to sin and His plan for us now and for eternity.
But the majority of this world has no appetite for God’s truth, even a great number of folks who sit in church every Sunday morning. So how will they discern truth from lies? How will they know who’s whispering in their ear?
Within a few weeks a newborn baby comes to know and respond to the sound of its parents’ voices. The baby’s ear is tuned to those with whom it has a bond, a perceived relationship. So whose voice is your ear tuned to respond to? The voice of love, joy, peace, and forgiveness? Or the voice of lies, rage, hate, and destruction? Can you discern the difference? Do you know your Father?
This Christmas I urge you to spend some time thinking about the voice in your soul. Does your plot line wander in and out of God’s POV? Are there moments when Satan’s POV grabs the reins and runs you off-the-road and in-the-ditch? We’ve all been there because we’ve all sinned.
But God is the Ultimate Editor. Through the birth and death and blood and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, God edits our lives, forgives our sins, restores the years the locusts have eaten, and transforms you and me into His jewels.
Unlike the books we write, our life’s POV can change. What better time than today to be sure your name is recorded in the book and inscribed in the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ who will hold you safe through the twists and turns of life. He is the coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Praise His holy name!

“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him” (Malachi 3:16-17 KJV).

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