The Butterfly Road

Taking the Christian Journey

DENEAN CAMP

The Butterfly Road

Taking the Christian Journey Copyright 2012 by DeNean Camp Unless otherwise indicated, Bible quotations are taken from THE KING JAMES VERSION of the Bible. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Book Cover Design by Jenelle Kuehne Rundo Photo by Cynthia Liz Photography Page Design & Book Preparation by Shannon Crowley for Treasure Image & Publishing TreasureImagePublishing.com

The Butterfly Road

Taking the Christian Journey

DENEAN CAMP

I am dedicating this book to the author and finisher of my faith whom is my God and Savior, Jesus Christ. I want to thank Him for His wisdom that has raised me up for His glory and for providing me with a purpose to live this life as a servant of His mighty kingdom and an advocate of His love. I would also like to thank all of the Christian servants God has sent forth into my life who have helped me grow into spiritual maturity. Hebrews 12:2

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me, for whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Matthew 16:24-26

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Destinations
Commenced: Introduction EXPLORING YOUR ORIGINS Aware Designed Lifespan Nature of Things Separate Species Distinction Egg Born Incubation Ready to Hatch Instincts UNCOVERING DEATH Rest Stop: Created INSTITUTING INITIATIVE Caterpillar Hungry Recognizing Your Diet Pursuing Nourishment Growing Liberated Extra Weight Molting Rejuvenated
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REACHING MEDITATION Chrysalis Encased Safety Harness Safe Haven Motionless Prepared to Emerge THE ART OF RECRUITING Metamorphosis Butterfly Taking Flight Pollinating Migrating ADVANCING YOUR DEFENSES Endangered Predators Mimicry Avoiding Extinction PERSEVERING Empowered Appointed Armed Capable Ready ASSESSING ETERNITY Dedicated The Race The Throne The Inheritance Blessed: Conclusion

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COMMENCED Introduction
he journey of a Christian has always been metaphorically compared to the metamorphosis of a butterfly, because when a person receives Jesus as their Savior they journey through a complete cycle of transformation. I would have never believed this had I not gone through this process myself. My journey began with a very long incubating period. Growing up, God was always a centerpiece of discussion during family matters and as a child the stories about God were a pretty picture for me to think about, but as I developed into a young adult the distraction of alternate theories and uncovering life was just enough to create a considerable distance between myself and God.

During this period of adolescence, I never really gave the seriousness and absolution of God a second thought until I graduated High School. Once I was outside the boundaries of my delusion, I began to
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realize how very temporary my teenage indulgences were and the pain of the discovery launched my heart to return back God. After I received Christ, surprisingly not much changed about myself, but God was determined to show His grace and as He took me through a new relationship, the tragedy of loss, the conscience of my past, the loss of control, and the meaning of life, I began to transform from someone who was lost, confused, and damaged to someone who was found, confident, and whole. As the wisdom of God unfolded in my life, I would go through stages of being enlightened and reformed. Eventually as I kept continuing through metamorphosis I began to understand why the butterfly is such a significant symbol for Christians. When God put all the pieces together and laid out all the factors on my heart, I knew that I was being commenced to write this book. There was a purpose to my journey that needed to be heard, because everything God showed me became my proof, everything that God pulled me through was my testimony, and coincidentally, everything I had learned became my calling. The Butterfly Road delivers you right to the very beginning of the Christian faith by exposing you to Gods message, by paralleling the rebirth and journey of

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a Christian with the cycle of a butterfly. Each destination along the road will help you identify the elements of the Christian faith and encourage your growth along the way. This expedition allows you to discover your origins and be Aware of your created existence and your choices, which will inspire you to step out and make the choice to be Born into Gods family. The journey continues to guide you into taking initiative to feed your Hungry soul and be Liberated into a new life. There will also be a stop where you will find time to reflect and meditate while Encased in Gods abilities. Eventually you will arrive at the climatic point of your travels where you realize that all of your milestones have given you wings and as a Butterfly you can carry out Gods plan for your life. In flight you will learn to develop defenses as an Endangered species and seal your survival by becoming Empowered. Lastly, your travels will assess the aspects of the Christians final destination in eternity, which will motivate your decision to be Dedicated to your new life. I wanted this book to have the capability to find the lost, encourage the found, and bring the glory of it all to God. At the end of this road I anticipate that your perception will change and the possibility of having that deep relationship with God will be indefinite, so go ahead, take the Christian journey and become a butterfly

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Destination
EXPLORING YOUR ORIGINS

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AWARE
oubt. Why is this word so powerful? Why does the significance of this word effect our perception on life? How could this word possibly have anything to do with having a relationship with God?

Doubt is the number one motive that causes so many individuals to overlook the reality of God. It persuades our human mind to reason that God is a figment of our imagination and that if He does not exist, than we do not need Him. Because of these conclusions, doubt becomes extremely dangerous, and it is why our adversary uses this tool to deter us from the truth. The enemy knows that it is the truth that makes the difference between life or death. God wants you to become aware of the truth, so you can overcome the deception and live. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, Who will have all men
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to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 Our Lord wants you to know that you were created and that you have a purpose. He wants you to know that you fall short of perfection and therefore need the salvation He has provided. Most importantly, He wants you to know you have a choice. You have been given the freedom to believe the truth or believe the lie. Becoming conscience of this choice allows the doors to discovering the partnership between you and God to open.

Designed
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 This scripture has undoubtedly left no room for speculation as to the origins of our existence. Unfortunately, the majority of us are told a falsehood that humans exist here on earth because we evolved over millions of years from a lucky mixture of gases, molecules, and energy known as a primordial soup. From this soup a single living cell developed and began to generate life as we know it today.

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We are told that our existence is completely random, and our superiority over the rest of nature is a result of our elevation as a survival of the fittest species. It is absolutely amazing to me that this distrustful theory of Evolution is taught as science, and yet goes against the very laws of science. The laws of physics dictate that non-living cannot produce living and that something cannot come from nothing, but the opposite conclusions explain their theory. The second law of thermodynamics states that in a closed system, things tend to start in a state of perfection and then decay (entropy). This simply means that something cannot begin with death and then work its way up to life. For instance, if I took a rotten banana and put it into a glass jar to observe, I would be able to conclude that the banana would continue to decay. It would never be able to reestablish itself to the same state it was before it began to rot. This is important to take in consideration since evolution is taught that earth began in a state of nonliving chaos and then ended up in a perfect state of balanced life. Because of these obvious discrepancies and the complex interdependent way nature coexists, many scientists in recent years have been finding it more difficult to explain away the contradictions the theory of evolution provide. Scientists have now come to another new theory that the earth could have been

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Intelligently Designed. If the earth was designed intelligently as so many educated individuals have had to conclude, then that means there would have to be a designer, or in other words a creator. God tells us He is that Creator. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1 God created every living thing into existence, including you. God explains to the prophet Jeremiah that He knew who he was before He formed him in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5) and Jesus tells His disciples that the very hairs on their heads are numbered (Matthew 10:30). God has made it very clear that humans are very precious and very unique to Him. A butterfly knows without any doubt that it was created. It also knows the authority of its Creator (Genesis 1:24-25). Becoming aware of the fact that God designed and breathed you into existence is just the beginning of revelation. The world wants you to believe that you just live and die and what you do or dont do is irrelevant, but God tells us there is a life after this life, and if you choose the Creator then you will inherit that life. Verily verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6:47

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He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not in the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

Lifespan
Along with knowing that it was created, a butterfly never questions its objective in life. It knows it was created for a purpose. Even though it has a relatively short lifespan that lasts only a few months it still accomplishes quite a bit by feeding, pollinating, finding a mate, and if it is a female, laying eggs. A butterfly knows exactly what it is, where it came from, and what its responsibilities are to nature while it lives. God wants you to be aware of these same absolutes, because during your lifespan you have a purpose as well. Our creator not only created you, but He has called you to live according to His assignment that He gives to all of us. Receive Him through Christ (John 3:16) Walk with Him (Colossians 1:10) Serve Him (John 12:26) Spread the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-19)

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These are the things that God outlines as our purpose and as your purpose. This is the meaning of life. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Ephesians 1:11 Human beings have been denied this actuality due to being tricked into believing that we are only here by accident, a mere byproduct of natural selection. This destructive lie has affected many, but it is refreshing to know that God does not wish for you or anyone to fall victim to the fate of this fictitious concept. God needs you to know that He is aware of your existence and everything you have been through and are going through. He loves you and wants you to love Him in return. Just as a butterflys life is short, so is yours. There is so much purpose to your life, and it will be worth your while to discover what it is. God has called you and His desire is that you will answer.

Nature of Things
To grasp the reality that there is a God in heaven who loves you is exhilarating. It is even more exciting

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to learn that you were designed to fulfill a specific purpose, but although you have been given this great insight there are still many intricate details that God yearns for you to look at. First and foremost, God wants you to become aware of the nature of your human spirit and how He regards your condition as soon as you enter the world. God takes the time to explain to us that at one point in time man walked perfectly with God. Man then decided to act against God by disobeying His command (Genesis 3). Because of this single act of disobedience sin and death entered the world and was passed upon all men. Now every human being born into this world is complete with a sinful nature. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned. Romans 5:12 The fact that we would rather feed our flesh with our own lusts and desires instead of coming under conviction and living righteously is simply the nature of things. This sinful disposition is the reason why we fall short of the glory of God. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

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Thankfully, God loved us enough to intercede and came to the earth as a man. This man is Jesus Christ. By believing in Christ we can pass over the consequence of sin, which is death and inherit eternal life. This pardon from our transgressions comes simply by asking, which I will elaborate on further in the next chapter. It is such a shame that we have been given the illusion that we can obtain perfection by appearing to be good. It is even more of a scandal that we are lead to believe that God will allow our sinful reputation to go unpunished. Butterflies are born to aspire after the direction God establishes in them. God is giving you the directives. He has shown you that you are a sinner and that there is no level of godly perfection you can achieve. God clarifies that you need Him to intervene for your flaws and that you need to accept the amnesty that God provided through His Son and repent. With these directives you can indicate where God is steering you, but it is up to you to take the direction God proposes or continue on your own.

Separate Species
In order to be able to decide upon the direction you want to take, you have to become aware of the outcomes of the two paths you can choose from. You

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can either turn down the path that leads to accepting Christ as your Savior, or you can turn down the path that rejects Christ altogether. The path you choose determines where you belong in the eyes of God. God mentions that there are two sets of people, His or not His. This division determines who Gods children are and who are not. We are literally perceived as two separate species. Jesus explains to His disciples that He is the Good Shepard and divides those who have accepted Him and have become His children as sheep and those who have not accepted Him as goats. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepard divideth his sheep from the goats. Matthew 25:32 But since this book is not about sheep and goats, I would like to use the same analogy Jesus used, but correspond the difference between the two species by using a butterfly verses a moth. Butterflies and moths are classified in the same scientific family, but they have very distinct attributes that separate them from one another. Likewise, all human beings were created by God and belong to the same scientific family, but the ones that have God and the ones that ignore God have very noticeable characteristics that make then different from each other. Gods character sets the precedent for

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how believers and non-believers behave. Believers emulate the example God has outlined as where nonbelievers display behavior that is contrary to Gods. Lets go ahead and refer to the Butterfly as the Believer and the Moth as the Non-believer. I would like for you to see how your relationship with God is effected by the species you choose to identify with. We will start by looking at the butterfly.

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AWARE: My Journey
I was fortunate enough to gain awareness of God early on in my life to understand that I was designed and created by God, thankfully due to my parents exposing me to a religious structure. I was baptized a Catholic as an infant, attended a Lutheran church as a child, and returned to Catholicism as a teenager. Both denominations were able to provide me with a strong knowledge of God, His wisdom, and my responsibilities to be obedient to Him during my life, but it wasnt until I was seventeen that I began contemplating this knowledge extensively. Going through High School I would continually weigh the beliefs of my upbringing against my education of world religions, mythology, cultural beliefs, and of course evolution. The possibility of my God being a false God, or even worse, a figment of my imagination disrupted my foundation and caused a lot of doubt, which caused confusion. As a teenager, this confusion was just the right amount of distraction to keep me focused on everything else, and not on God. It wasnt until my heart became broken did I refocus my attention on having a relationship with God.

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It was during an emotional time that I resurrected the conflicts between other religions, other gods, pondered the doubts, and questioned my ability to sin so naturally. After some deliberation, I concluded that there had to be only one God, and with Him only one truth. My heartache led me to discover the missing element that my religious structure was unable to provide and that was that I needed to DECIDE where I belonged with God. I had to choose between giving up this stronghold of rejection to God or accepting and receiving God in my heart. I was unable to label the process God was taking me through, but in desperation I wanted God to make the distinction that I was His so He could heal me and thats when I went back to a foundation of faith, back to God and thats when in my heart I went back to Jesus.

DeNean Camp, Author

The journey of a Christian has always been metaphorically compared to the metamorphosis of a butterfly, because when a person receives Jesus Christ as their Savior, they journey through a complete cycle of transformation. Travel The Butterfly Road and visit destinations that will encourage you to transform and fulfill your God-given purpose. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature... 2 Corinthians 5: 17