The Deadly Conversation

Genesis 3 cont’d:  The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,  but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Second lesson in temptation: don’t talk with the liar and respond to his questions. 

Eve told the serpent what God said – she spoke the truth to him.

However, because she opened up the conversation, he spoke back with a deadly lie – one that told her that what God said was not true at all.  She won’t die. She will actually become like God.  Therefore, God lied to her and withheld something good from her.

What great lessons we can learn from just observing the first encounter with temptation written in the bible.

We will all hear whispers from time to time that question God’s character, and if we entertain those whispers by whispering back in our spirits and listening to further questioning, we’re on a slippery path.

Satan wants us to think God’s word has no validity, and that God himself has a hidden agenda in the directives he gives to us to follow; namely, to withhold something good from us.

We all believe this at one time or another in our lives when we see something good that we believe would be a great thing, and yet God says no.  We question his goodness in our lives and think he’s holding out on providing that which we need.

It’s not so.

God is good. All the time.  God is good.

Anything else that comes to mind is certain death.

Bad Question

Nov 29

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Don’t you find it odd and interesting that it says here that God made the serpent, the crafty one, the wild animal who tempted Eve?

Every movie we see, at least the good ones, all have conflicts. In fact, when I took a writing course, I learned that any good story has a conflict in it.  After all, who wants to read a story without a fight that ends in good conquering evil?

God set man in motion with the will, the choice, to obey him or not.  But in order for that to be tested, there had to be a temptation to disobey.

And we can be certain that we will be tempted daily to disobey God’s directives that if obeyed will result in life for us – and not death.

The first question asked of the first woman is a question that tries to discredit God’s word.

It’s been the same ever since.

We begin to wonder if God’s word is true, and more importantly, if it’s true for us.

Once we question the truth, we are sure to then take a bite of something devastatingly awful that will make us sick.

Don’t listen to questions in your mind that taunt the very nature of who God is – a loving Father – the Creator of all things good.

That’s the first lesson in overcoming temptation – to not question the character of God.

No Shame

Genesis 2:25  Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Here God has finished creation, ending with man and woman, and they were completely naked and unafraid, with no shame.

My how far we’ve fallen!

Man, in his unique position of living in the holiness of God, walking in his presence, living under his provision, following his commands, lives in total and complete openness without any fear.

Any time we are completely vulnerable, open, and “naked” with someone there is bound to be disappointment or hurt of some kind, which causes us to shrink back from being so open the next time.  Hurt and disappointment does that.

But in our newly created state of human being, we see that prior to sin, there is freedom unparalleled and peace like we have never experienced.

I know this state of being is coming again.  Jesus is coming again to restore us to that position, one of walking with Him unafraid and unashamed, completely free to be who it is He has created us to be…in his presence.

I’m in awe and wonder of what that will be like…aren’t you?  In fact, I'm curious if we can experience it now...

That's Why

Genesis 2 cont’d:

Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

What a beautiful picture here of God and his creation, his loving care and attention, and his awesome order of father and mother as one.

God presented woman to man and the man took her as his own, knowing she was taken from his side, to be united with him in one flesh.

It’s a mystery isn’t it, how husband and wife are to become one flesh, but they are.  And yet guys and girls become one flesh over and over again with multiple partners, giving away a part of their soul to each.  It’s no wonder then that when marriage takes place in a ceremony, there are pieces and fragments of themselves scattered about, and the marriage suffers from the get-go.

There’s something so holy and sacred about a union between man and woman that is pure and undiluted from prior unions.

However…even in our sin and fallen state of lust and desire, God takes what we’ve broken and makes it whole.  He fulfills our wildest desires when we bring him that which we’ve fragmented by giving away to many others, and he makes it whole again and like new.

Marriage is sacred and holy and a beautiful thing from God.  He made it that way, as a symbol of the beauty in union with Him. 

Give your marriage, broken or whole, to Him, and let him heal you and bless you, and cause you to walk in oneness with Him…and with each other.

Freedom...or Not

Genesis 2:15-17

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.  And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;  but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

After God gave his directives and created man, he placed him in the Garden of Eden – a true paradise – to work the garden and take care of it (remember, he gave him the authority to rule over creation.)

He then told him he could eat from any tree in the garden except the one of the knowledge of good and evil – that one would kill him.  God right then gave man a choice of choosing to obey or not.  And we still have that choice today.  We obey and we live, we choose not to obey and we die.  It’s that simple. 

God only wants us for himself, not because he’s rude or arrogant, but because he is the embodiment of that which his good, and by living in His presence we too experience all that he is – the good and the holy and the blessings – they’re all ours.  But he gave man the will to make this choice…or not.

And we know that he chooses to disobey, and all of creation suffers because of it.

Disobedience is an evil thing.  It brings about consequences.  When our children disobey, they are disciplined and set on course again, so that they can see the blessing that comes from obeying their parents. 

God is a perfect parent. A perfect Creator.  And he knows what is best for us to thrive, to live, and to experience his goodness. 

He sets before us His way or our ways.  It’s our choice.  One way leads to life eternal, and the other to certain death.

I want to walk in His presence and realize He’s enough and more than able to meet all of my needs, without me venturing off to test him to see if he will slap my hand…or not.  Sometimes it’s hard to obey and stay next to Him, and that’s why his hand of mercy always draws us back to his side, just like a loving father brings a disobedient and repentant child to his chest to restore him in love…

He Rested

Genesis 2:1,2

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

By the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

I read in a commentary that God didn’t rest here because he was weary.  He rested because he was pleased with all that he had done.  Isn’t that awesome?

There’s no greater rest than to be in his image, walk in his light, rule over that which he has given us, produce and enjoy the provision that is ours, and then to rest from our work in His presence, knowing He is pleased with us and we are pleased to be with Him.

God blessed this 7^th day and made it holy.  I imagine he sat and looked at the “vast array” of what he had just flung into the sky in perfect order – the stars, the sun, the moon – and what he had brought up from the ground to roam the earth – the birds, the beasts, and all of the animals.  He then observed the beauty of the waters and the sky, and he sighed at the completion of male and female, the ones he chose to inhabit and dwell with and converse with every morning and every evening (remember those intimate terms?)

I believe in resting, but it’s hard for me to do so. Unless I put down my phone, lay aside what I’m doing, and look out my window, I fail to see the beauty of what God has done, and I miss the opportunity to reflect on his goodness in my life.

Rest with God. Rest in His presence. Enjoy and be amazed at all He has done.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve...

I Give You

 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

Here again, see our loving Creator bestow onto mankind that which he created, to supply him with all that he needs – every kind of plant and fruit for food – all that we need he freely gives.

God breathed life into the plants on the earth and he told mankind to eat it.  God entrusted his creation with those made in his image. 

In Matthew, we read another message from Jesus, God’s son, telling us not to worry about food and drink – because God knows we need both. He reminds us again that he will provide when we seek Him first.

What a mess man has made of this perfect world God created.  God didn’t mess it up, man did.  And now we live on a planet with poisonous plants, we spray pesticides to ward off the evil of the insects that destroy the plants, and we live in fear that we won’t ever have enough to sustain us and our families.

God created this awesome world, with His sovereign plan for harmony, provision, and His presence, where mankind would dwell with him and have all things under his feet.  And we know that sin messed up that pretty picture of life on planet earth.

But thanks be to Jesus, our savior, who freely gave his life for us that we now can live among the fallen earth and in the middle of the fearful cities and right out in the open where the wolves prowl, and not fear. Because he is with us, he comforts us, he leads us, and he provides for us cool drinks by a calm stream…until the day all is made new again.

Subdue It

Genesis 1 cont’d:

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;

 male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.

After God created male and female he blessed them, with this blessing – to be fruitful and increase in number (that, we’ve done) – and to fill the earth and subdue it (this, we haven’t).

He then tells mankind to rule over the fish and the birds, and over every living creature.  Can you imagine living in a world where we have no fear of swimming with sharks, where birds aren’t a nuisance but a welcome guest at our table, and where baby lions play with our children?  That’s crazy to think about, right?

And yet, God gave us that directive when we were created.  And we can see now, in hindsight, that not only did sin separate us from our holy Creator, it messed up the role we were to play on the earth – to subdue it and rule over it.  So for centuries, our battles with the earth and all that lives in it are ongoing, and we live in fear and dread, and we suffer by being ruled over, instead of ruling over.

This is the hope we have of heaven, because God in his mercy will restore all things to that which he intended them to be.  We will no longer be bitten by ants at picnics, swat flies in the summer, or cover up at night in fear of a disease-biting mosquito.  That was the life he intended, and that is the life that will be…

To Rule

Genesis 1 cont’d:

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

Now we come to the sixth day, where God made mankind.  And he decides to makes us in his image, his likeness – why?  So that we might rule over the created creatures he has just made and placed on the earth.

Isn’t that interesting?  In order to rule over things of this earth, man needed to reflect and be like his Creator.  In order to dominate and take charge of the things on the ground, man needed to be made in the image of the Creator.

And so God made us.

In his image.

In his likeness.

So that we can rule over earthly things.

It seems we have come to allow ourselves to be ruled by all earthly things, including greed, envy, competition, desire, lust, and we also fear everything on earth.  Maybe we have forgotten why we were created and who it is we look like, and how it is that we have authority and dominion over what flies above our heads and walks besides us here on earth.

This is something to think about and to then realize the potential of knowing whose image we bear.

The Good

Genesis 1 cont’d:

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”  So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 

Now this part of creation is just the part of God’s artistry that blows one’s mind, doesn’t it?

All of the birds and sea creatures and EVERY living thing on the earth God created.  Long lean giraffes and short stout hippos, tiny finches, and big bald eagles, colorful peacocks and green lizards, fast roadrunners, and slow turtles.  Each one of God’s creation, all good in his sight.

And yet we humans learn to despise the way we look, the way God made us, and our unique features.  We don’t do that to the animals and sea creatures – we sit and marvel at their features and their beauty or their fanfare.  But we try to change ourselves from the time we take a glance in the mirror and gaze at others and want what they have.

God saw that his creation was good.

According to its kind.

And the earth was full.

Why can't we see the good, as well?

Day Four

Genesis 1 cont’d:

He also made the stars.  God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.  And God saw that it was good.  And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

God didn’t just set the moon and sun into place. Wouldn’t that have been enough?  He now made stars – those things that cannot be counted – those twinkly objects that are marvelously mysterious – the beauty of the night.

And he says he set them in the vault to “govern” the day and the night.

According to NASA, “stars are responsible for the manufacture and distribution of heavy elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, and their characteristics are intimately tied to the characteristics of the planetary systems that may coalesce about them.”

God is simply amazing, isn’t he?  He flings these brilliant objects into his night sky and they  have a purpose to keep into balance all that the earth and our solar system needs to breathe and respond to the Creator.

In fact, we find out later in scripture that he calls them each by name as he “marches” them into place in the sky.

How can we ever doubt God’s care over us?  I know that I do from time to time because my vision is so horizontal, and that kind of vision doesn’t see very far.

But when we look up and see the stars emerge out of the darkness to fill the sky, we can take solace and comfort in the very fact that they are there to govern, to respond to the Creator by keeping all of creation tied together in sync.

All of this, and it’s only day four…

And It Was So

Genesis 1 cont’d:

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,  and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.  God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night.

I still love the word “vault” – it just rings with security doesn’t it?

Here we observe God create two big lights and set them in place to “serve as signs to mark sacred times.”   To mark “days and years.”  To “give light” on the earth.

I don’t know about you, but the sun and the moon are marvelous, aren’t they?  They’re brilliant, we know they are there even if clouds cover them for days, they faithfully rise and set each day in perfect timing, and they illuminate our paths, warm our skin, and create our calendar.

When you feel as though your world is out of control and nothing is going as planned or even well at all, observe these two “markers.”

God knew there would be clouds, he knew we would need security and faithfulness personified above us, and he knew we needed direction and covering and safety and warmth.

He provided all of that with these two lights.

So far, God has been a pretty awesome Creator, hasn’t he?  He’s setting up a world in holy order with his Hand of provision seen all over it, in order to create something that’s coming soon – you and me.

That’s a God who can be trusted and loved and the One under whose canopy we can sleep every night, knowing the Sun will rise in our window the next morning.

Production

Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.  The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.  And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

Isn’t it cool that after God creates each thing, he sees that it is good?  He’s not just a Creator who creates to keep himself occupied, he is the Creator who creates things for good – with a purpose.

On this day, after the waters and land have been established and set, he brings about growth.  Vegetation, plants and trees, fruit of all kinds – what provision he gives to his creation!

Sometimes, we have to go through a process of God establishing and setting us, don’t we?  He creates boundaries, he dispels darkness, and he speaks and settles our lives. 

And then…we start producing fruit of love, joy and peace and more – all kinds of fruit – fruit that has seeds – and trees that provide shade!

And again he mentions evening…and then the morning…the third day.

What other “third day” comes to mind?  Remember that dark night when Jesus died, he was buried, and all hope seemed lost?  Just the opposite was occurring!  He was about to conquer death!

Don’t be discouraged if all you see is dry land and settling and cracks and not much else in your life.  God is up to something good, and growth will begin to occur, because that’s the kind of Creator we serve – the one who establishes and brings forth fruit in each season of our lives.

The Creator and the Created

Genesis 1 cont’d:

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so.  God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Here we see God’s control and placement of all things good and we can rest in this one thing, throughout our lives, and find peace.

God doesn’t allow waters to have their own say; in fact, he places them into their boundaries, he gathers them into certain areas, and he keeps them and watches over them.

He also provides space called ground on which things can take root near the waters, sprout leaves, and grow and produce fruit.

He named them “land” and “sea.” And he saw that what he created was good.

We know that we live in a world that is reeling right now, and the waters God created to be gathered into specific places sometimes spill out of their boundaries, drowning and destroying all those in the path of the water.  And the distinction between dry ground and water is hard to determine, because the debris covers the devastation.

That’s the earth groaning.  That’s creation crying out and responding to the mess we’ve made of what God created to be good, in perfect balance, and in perfect placement.

But God has promised to restore all things, to make things new again, and to heal all that is broken.  That’s why he sent his son, and that’s why there’s a promise of heaven – where the Creator and the Created dwell together in perfect peace forever.

The Vault

Genesis 1 cont’d:

And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

A vault is an arch or a roof – and God made one and called it sky.  He said it would separate water from water. 

We see beautiful lakes, rivers, streams and vast oceans that lie here on the earth and we camp by them, fish in them, picnic near them, and voyage through them, because water is an awesome thing, isn’t it?

However, above the sky, above the vault that God put into place there are storehouses of water that we depend on to fall in due season.  There are rain showers we need to water our earth.  We also depend on his “showers of blessing” to fall down upon our kids and those we love.

When our vision is completely horizontal, all we see is what’s in front of us and sometimes that is dry ground, with cracks and brown heat-stricken plants that are dying.  But up above that vault called the sky is a deluge of water flowing from His mountain that just waits to pour over us and soak us, pull us together, and cause us to green up and grow again…

Look up at the sky.  

Thank God for the separation between water up there and water down here, and seek him for that perfect balance of showers and filled streams, as you live and breathe in his presence.

The First Day

Genesis 1 cont’d:

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

The first thing God spoke into existence across the dark, shapeless earth was “light.”  And he saw that it was good.

Then he separated the light from the dark – giving day and night – and he mentions evening and morning – the first day.

I love this.

Day and night are so general, aren’t they?  Day indicates we have light outside and night indicates the light is gone and it’s now dark.

But evening and morning – they're personal, aren't they?  I love both of them for different reasons.  Morning is a fresh start, it’s when I wake up ravenously hungry, and I feel invigorated for the “day.”  Evening is my favorite time to take a drive, just before the sun sets, when the colors of the sky light up from the glorious light behind the clouds – it just speaks of glory just before “night.”

Our God is personal.  He’s real.  He’s creative. And he dispels darkness with light all in the course of a few hours, and he meets us at the beginning of each change for a morning chat or an evening whisper.

Do you see him and hear him, during the course of your 24 hours?

Back to Basics

I thought I’d go back to the beginning, Genesis 1, and find encouragement and faith from the God who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in it. After all, when we lose sight of who it is that created all we see and are, we then start believing lies about who he is and who we are.

Genesis 1 says,

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

I love that God begins his love letters to us with creation.  And he encourages us by informing us that he was hovering over that which was formless, empty, and dark…about to create something with magnificent splendor, full of color and glory, and place a light that would illuminate it all!

When we fail to establish the foundation of who God is – our Creator – we start down a slippery path of finding fault with all that he’s made and with the very nature of who we are – made in his image.  And that leads to all sorts of problems like depression, anxiety, and self-hate.

God was there in the beginning hovering…moving and creating…and He’s the same God now that he was then.

Let him begin a new creation in you by your choosing to respond to the Creator of all things good – including you.

Blessed

James 1 explains the difference between those whose richness is in Him and those whose richness is in riches:

But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Those who pursue riches here have them for a season and then they’re gone.  Fame fades with age, riches can be destroyed in an instant, and when we die we can’t take them with us. 

However, those who are rich from perseverance, standing through hard tests, and loving and knowing they are loved by God, will receive riches eternal.

We live on this earth and seek riches because they bring comfort and fun.  They appear to, at least.  But with riches come the management of the riches, the control they have over our lives, and the fear of losing them. 

With the richness of a relationship with Jesus comes surrender and peace in letting go and letting Him rule our lives, knowing a good outcome is ahead, with no fear because we know the Prince of Peace and we can rest at night in his arms, secure and sure.

We must not seek riches, but seek the One who gives richly to us all things to enjoy.

No Worries

Jeremiah 17

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the streams. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Interesting verse here.  It doesn’t promise that we won’t experience heat, and it doesn’t say we won’t go through seasons of drought.  We all do.  And the heat and drought will destroy us if…

We are not planted and planted deeply.  This means we know His word and truth and it runs deep in our souls.

We do not trust and have confidence in Him.  This means we know that He is love and He is our Father and He is good, even when we’re tired, weary and overcome.

Following Christ doesn’t mean a life without pain.  But it does mean that we can live without fear and without failure to bear fruit.

That indeed is a mystery and a contradiction, but it’s the truth on which we can stand.