Last time, we ended by talking about verse 9 of the third chapter of Genesis. This is the story of the first interaction with God after Adam and Eve had taken of the tree God had told them not to. Last time, we talked about the love God has for us, illustrated in the fact God knew what they had done, but still He came to them. These verses tell us Adam and Eve hid among the trees of the garden, and God called out to them. Verse 10 is a very sad verse. It shows us just how much damage taking of the tree had done to Adam. God had created humans in innocence, and even though their bodies were adult, they were still very much like children. Here, Adam sets the tone for our relationship with God. Adam says "I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid..." As we talked about in the last issue, we should not hide from God, but we should go running to Him. Here, Adam not only hides from God but he admits he was afraid. Instead of admitting they had taken from the tree, he continues to remain focused on the fact they were naked, trying to solve the problem on his own. It is God who, in the next verse, points out the root of the problem, being they had eaten of the tree. In verse 11, God points out they should not even know or care they were naked, so nakedness was not the real issue as they spoke with God. Far too much, we skip the real issues and get focused on the result. The result of sin is something we will have to deal with, it is what we deal with everyday. Jesus said, sufficient is the evil of the day. (Matt. 6:34) However, the root temptations and our actions which lead to the trouble we get into, is what we need to talk to God about. God is not just about turning around the results of every specific sin. God gave His Son for the purpose of ultimately freeing us from all of sin's scars. As we walk in the here and now, we need to examine our actions so we do not continue to walk in wrong, but grow in righteousness.

Unfortunately, this focus we have on every small problem and our refusal to look at the root of our problems, goes all the way to the point, we don't even recognize sin anymore. We don't know how to examine our lives, because we don't see the real danger! This is why so many people, who call themselves Christians, are mostly interested in what God can do to correct everything they see as going wrong in their lives. Few seem to be interested in really knowing God anymore. The real danger for Adam and Eve at that moment was not the nakedness, it was Adam's fear of God, and their failure to confess their sin. (1 John 1:9) This fact is emphasized in the next verses.

The answer to God's question, in verse 11, about if Adam had eaten of the tree, should have been simply, yes; but verse 12 is more than a one word answer. The answer Adam gives in verse 12, is one of the most horrible things Adam could have said. Adam's response was, the woman God had given him was to blame for the whole thing. It's as if Adam is saying, if God had not given him this woman, none of this would have happened. This flies in the face of what God had decided. After God had created Adam, God decided it was not good for man to be alone. This is the whole reason for making Eve. This is also why God made a female, which together with Adam, would be able to have children. Thus, it was God's plan for there to be many humans. When Adam says, the woman you gave me did this, he is essentially saying God was wrong!

Adam's statement would only be the beginning of this kind of thinking. Even today, there are times when people have trouble getting past the idea they believe it is unfair we all have to suffer because of Adam and Eve's sin. We all want to be more righteous than the next guy; to act as if we had the same circumstances, we would have done much better! Many people who claim to be believers in Christ feel they would have done much better than the children of Israel if they had been given what Israel had. Well, there are many so called preachers filling the airways today, who continually promise great prosperity if we are a "Christian." In Micah 2:11, when saddened by the sin of Israel, God said, if there was a prophet who would lie and tell them to simply live in the flesh's desires, that would be the prophet for a people like them. Beware of those who try to tell you that comforts of this world are the promises of God. God has much greater things for us than the pleasures of sin for a season! (Heb. 11:25)

We need to understand our righteousness is not based on the physical circumstances which surround us. It did not matter what Eve had done or wanted to do; Adam taking of the fruit or not, was a decision he had to make for himself! For whatever reason, he had decided to eat of that fruit. The bottom line was, he chose taking of the fruit as something he wanted more than following the Words of God! We can blame a lot of things for why we do what we do. We may even feel we have no choice in many cases, but the question is always the same, what is more important to us? Ironically, Adam had many things backwards. What he seemed to think was an excuse for his actions was actually one of the real problems! If he was saying he had taken of the fruit simply because Eve had done it and/or asked him to do it, then he was admitting the point. God had told them not to take of the tree. Eve was actually telling Adam, taking of the tree was fine. This is some pretty clear math. Unfortunately, God's Word, many times, does not come first in our decisions! This is not an excuse, it IS the problem!

In verse 13, God turns to Eve and asks what it is that she has done, at this point, Adam may have felt for a moment he was off the hook! However, Adam was missing a very large point in all this. God had created him, then created Eve from him. Adam understands this when God brings Eve to him; Adam says this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. Adam could say the woman was wrong. He could argue he would have done better without her, but she was made from him. This is exactly why Adam and Eve's sin is passed to all of us, generation after generation. The things which lay inside Eve, which made her want to take of the fruit, lay in all of us. This is why God tells us not to judge others, because we will be judged by the same manner in which we judge. (Matt. 7:1-2) We can never point to a flaw in others without pointing out a flaw which exists in all of us. As we see faults in others, it should send up red flags in our own life. It should cause us to examine our own lives. This is why Jesus said to pull out the beam in our own eye, so that we can see clearly how to help others. (Matt. 7:3-5) Adam was by no means off the hook!

Eve's excuse differs little from Adam's. She says nothing about the fact God had made the serpent, as Adam had pointed out God gave him the woman, but she still blames part of God's creation for her demise. The interesting thing is, she blames a part of God's creation which God had specifically told them to have dominion over. (Gen 1:26) God definitely gave them no indication that the animals might have wisdom to impart. God had even used the wording that they should subdue the planet. (Gen. 1:28) This would mean, even if there was something which tempted them to do wrong, it was their responsibility to set it straight, not blindly follow along! Of course, Eve says the serpent "beguiled" her. The word "beguiled" is used in our English translation of the scripture about five times, and it does not mean the same thing in every case. A couple of times the word comes from a word in the original language which has more the meaning of betrayal. As if someone who has a reason to be loyal or you have reason to trust in, chooses to send or lead you in the wrong direction. Another time it has more of the meaning that someone wanted to distract you so they could take something. The old, distract and grab, if you will. Here in verse 13, Eve is saying the Devil mentally distracted her, and she really had no idea what she was doing. She is saying, that is what led her to take of the fruit. Just like Adam's statement, this is not an excuse, it is the point! Eve, by her own admission, allowed herself to put aside the Words of God and listen only to what was being said at the time.

Long before she ever reached out and took of the fruit, she had made all kinds of bad decisions. The decision to talk to the serpent about the tree at all, was bad. Then in that conversation she turned from the simple "thou shalt not," to thinking there may be reason to doubt the words God had spoken. The next step was for Eve to forget the words of God altogether. This is what she means when she says "the serpent beguiled me" In other words, the serpent distracted her and she forgot she was not to take of the tree. God's word was no longer a guiding factor in the situation. When we unplug our minds from the words of God, we are always heading for trouble! The Psalmist said, a good man delights in the law of God and meditates on it day and night, (Ps. 1:1-2) and that the Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. (Ps. 119:105) When we choose not to shine the Word of God on our path, we are destined to stumble. God said, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Ex. 20:3) No matter how fascinating we find something or how good it may seem, we need to always hold it up to the light of God. We must never let our minds make a decision without looking at God's Word for wisdom, and this is why the psalmist also said, "Thy word have I hide in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Ps. 119:11)

People look at the Old Testament and think things differ from the new because they are so caught up on the time line. They do not understand that just because, in the chronological view, Jesus had not came and died, there was little that differed in the grand scheme of things. Abraham, and those in the Old Testament, lived in a relationship with God, knowing God would provide a lamb. Those of us who live after the cross, should live in a relationship with God, knowing God has provided a lamb. This is why, after the cross, it is crucial we confess the name of Jesus. If we do not proclaim the name of Jesus, there can only be one of two reasons for it. One, we have not yet heard the good news that Jesus (the lamb) has been slain for our sin and rose the third day, we call this simply, the Gospel. Two, we do not believe God has provided a lamb, because we do not believe Jesus is that lamb!

We have all truly sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) We must all live in a place of repentance. This is where God wants us. (2 Peter 3:9) Not to punish us, but because it is how we open the door for God's help! In the end, only God can rightly judge each individual for what they have done with what they have been given! In these verses, as it seems God is moving down the line, it is not because God was trying to get the facts straight. God already demonstrated He knew more than they were willing to admit - of course God knows everything! What God was doing here, was looking for an opening where He could reach in and help them. We are afraid of God, and in a healthy way we should be! Running from God is not healthy. No amount of trees, bushes, walls, or sheer distance can hide us from God. The only place we can go to be out of God's presence, is the place we call hell. This is why, if running from the presence of God is what we want to do in our lives then, on Judgment day, God will say depart from me, for I never knew you. (Matt. 7:21-23) Hell has been enlarged to take in all those who choose to run from God. (Isa. 5:13-14) So, no matter what the problem is, we need to call out to God, choose to put our lives directly before Him, and trust He is a God of love! Unfortunately, just like Adam and Eve, we in most cases, choose to hide and then evade. The end result is, we block God from giving us the help He wants to give!

God made a free willed being, and He limited Himself so He would not just control man. This meant God had limited options in the situation. Because God is holy, He had to judge their sin; but again, Jesus was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world God had all the options which the cross gives, even though this situation was, chronological, long before the cross. So God was looking for them to repent and open the door. He needed them to open this door so He could help them out. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! (1 John 1:9) The sad matter is, neither Adam or Eve gave God that opening. God tried to lead them back to the true root problem, but they still chose to simply make excuses for their actions, instead of confessing to God they had done wrong!

The fact God was looking for an opening so He could help Adam and Eve, is exactly why God does not question the serpent. God knew who He was really dealing with. Satan's fate is already determined. There was no reason to do anything more with Satan, at that time, and there was no reason to ask him any questions. As for the serpent? The serpent was only the physical persona the Devil had chosen to appear in! So, in verse 14, God deals with the physical characteristics of the serpent. Laying out a curse for the serpent, God would make a change in its physical structure, which would affect its method of movement. It would truly become the lowest animal not to walk the face of the earth, because it would no longer walk at all! Unlike a worm, whose purpose is to burrow through the dirt, the serpent would be forced to simply eat the dirt, every time it wanted to move from point A to point B.

In verse 15, God says He would put "enmity" between the serpent and the woman, and this enmity would continue to be between her seed and the serpent's seed. Many things get said about this issue, but in a big way, God was keeping Satan from establishing himself as a god. Man always seems to migrate to a god he can touch and see. This is why man wants to make idols. Man makes these forms with his own hands, then turns right around and says they have power. Man has to carry these images around because they do not even have the power to walk, but they are still revered as gods. (Ps.115:4-8) Satan had picked a powerful animal to clothe himself with. Make no mistake, Satan had every intention of using this form for the duration. I'm sure, Satan already had a plan to explain why man, after the fall, was not in as bad a shape as God made it seem. I'm sure Satan had a story that would try to explain to man why taking of the tree was still a good thing. If Satan could have continued his charade with man, still using the form he had taken since the beginning, he could have truly established himself as the counter god, or counter to God. He could set himself up, as the one who had all the answers to why the path of sin was actually the right path, instead of the path God was asking man to take. Satan had convinced Eve once, God had no idea what He was talking about. God wanted to protect humans from simply falling into the thought that the serpent always knew best. The serpent was not and is not a god!

As it is, some may believe Satan has accomplished much of this same work, through false religion. However, stop and consider for a minute, the stories Satan could tell if God had not cursed the serpent and put enmity between man and the serpent! The Tower of Babel would have been peanuts compared to the false religion Satan could have built from the beginning! Satan would be able to tell man the fable of how God had put us on one path, but from the beginning he (Satan) has been working to help us have a life of our own. This is the basic dynamic Satan wants to play off. God made a free willed being, and that very thing is what the Devil tried to convince Eve God was trying to deny her! The Devil is always trying to convince man he is better off without God. Eve was concerned about what humans might be missing out on. Today, people do not want to follow the Word of God because they are always worried about what they will have to "give up." This is exactly what the Devil wants us to worry about! He wants us to think God is just trying to keep us from being all we can be, when just the opposite is true!

God put an enmity between man and the symbol of that first deception Satan pulled. We should have enmity for all the things which Satan tries to use to deceive man, and we should have a love for the Word of God. In the end, this is what will truly separate the sheep from the goats! (Matt.25:31-46)

I'll see you next time!

A few weeks ago, my Husband and I were talking about the Sabbath, which led to a general discussion of the Ten Commandments. What was interesting is that we started talking about how the world doesn't really follow any of the Ten Commandments anymore. We hear the arguments and discussions about the Ten Commandments, and we all think of them as rules "moral citizens" follow. But the world, and especially Americans, have fallen so far, we don't even hold to these simple commandments anymore. What's really bad is, we don't even see what the big deal is. You don't believe me? Let's look at them (Exodus 20:3-17, Deuteronomy 5:7-21):

1. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." This commandment hasn't been followed for a long time, if really ever. Look at this country; money, celebrities, government, religion, ourselves and our fleshly desires - I could go on. How many think first about God and His will for our lives? Usually, it's more if we are in trouble, or want something from God, that He even comes to our minds. America was built on the words "In God we trust," and yet we are always fighting to distance ourselves from these words. We don't even want them written anywhere any more, because it just reminds us of who we should be putting all our trust in, and who should be number one in our lives.

2. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." God is not just talking about a statue that is made for the purpose of worship, like some statue that is set up in a square of a private home to bow before. How many of us have statues outside our windows. Sure, we don't pray to them or bring gifts and think of them as our gods, but we do display them in our main areas so that all can see them. Again, our focal point is not on God, but His creation and on material things of this life. Like my Husband preaches on so much, we are always worshiping the creation more than the creator. And for those who have statues of Jesus, Mary, some Saint and so on, you're sitting there saying, true, but it's ok because we are displaying godly things. God says even the likeness of anything that is in heaven, we are not to have. Jesus had to come down in a fleshly form to redeem us, but when He died, He took on His Godly form. We don't need the fleshly images, we need to focus on God, only God, and what He wants for our lives.

3. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain." This is definitely not followed and not even respected. I can't believe, even in the work place, what kind of language is thrown about, and the name of our Lord is almost always a part of it all! People don't care anymore who is around or where they are. You can't even listen to commercials or walk down the street anymore without needing ear plugs. It's also sad how it has filtrated through all age groups, from the elderly to the first words of children. I know people who think it is humorous when their children use the Lord's name in vain. Children grow up with this kind of language, as if it were simply a part of normal speech. I worry every day about our two year old. As he learns how to talk, it is hard to go anywhere without hearing the Lord's name taken in vain and other obscenities.

4. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Well, we really don't follow this commandment. (We have been talking a lot about this subject in the newsletter, so for those who have already read several of the last issues, this should be a review.) This is a very straight forward Commandment. On the seventh day (Saturday) we are to do no work, and to think on God and all He has done for us through the week. We are to take one special day out of seven (God saying the last, the seventh day) and give God all of our attention. Not only do most people not even take a real day of rest and meditate on God, but even those who claim they do, don't even have the correct day. My calendar starts with Sunday and ends with Saturday. That's even the way the world sees it, but many still don't look at Saturday as the Sabbath, and we think we're good at math.

5. "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." You can see how the world doesn't follow this commandment. I believe this is why teen pregnancy is up, our nursing homes are increasing and the rights of the elderly are debated on, yearly, if not daily. We even debate if it's ok to get rid of them altogether! Each generation is choosing to be more and more for themselves. Adults don't appreciate their parents, and this lack of respect for others causes them not to care about their own children, whom they chose to have. Even so called accidents are a choice. We feel the need to express ourselves in a physical way, knowing what the consequences can be, that's a choice! This in turn spirals downward with each generation not respecting or honoring the generation before. We are to honor and respect others (Ephesians 6:1-9) (Colossians 3:18-25). Honoring our elders went out the door with the baby boomer generation, because most parents since then, have failed to teach the next generations how to respect. They care only for themselves and what they want at the time.

6. "Thou shalt not kill." The fact it is still a part of our written law causes us to pause on saying we don't follow this one. We tend to think our society doesn't accept killing at all, but we don't realize how much media and sin has crept in. Because, what about the abortions that "legally" go on every day? Just this last month, a woman fighting for her life was finally killed with hardly a thought from a lot of us! Most Americans cry foul when the government isn't "protecting us," even from ourselves. Then when it really is their (the government's) job, and they actually try to "protect us," everyone cries foul again, saying the government needs to stay out of our business. At least make up your minds, do you want protection, or do you want freedom? Can we kill babies, elderly, those who are sick and helpless? No! Death is a punishment God put in the law for people who commit crimes, not for ones we kill just because we feel like it. God's law has no addendums or loop-holes. We are not to take the life of others just because it suits us at the moment. Criminals can be put on death row, but a baby hasn't made choices like the criminal. Its life is being taken just because a woman doesn't want it anymore - and what about the elderly? We don't choose to grow old, it's part of our sinful life. We can't say they are a nuisance, so they should just be killed. The lady I mentioned earlier, she didn't decide she was going to be a vegetable, but her body was not ready to die. All humans need food. We can't make the choice to end that substance for someone. God has a way and a plan for every life, if we will let him lead us.

7. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." All over today's world, people hardly even glance at this one. We don't value our physical relationship at all - You should abstain from sex before marriage because God doesn't acknowledge a piece of paper, God respects the physical relation between a man and woman, as marriage. Marriage is not just some piece of paper or a set of laws the government goes by, it is the union of two people - man and woman - emotionally and physically. There is no room in this law for marrying and re-marrying. As long as you both live, having sex with anyone outside that first union, is adultery. So, re-marriage is not acceptable, promiscuousness is not acceptable, all of this is adultery.

8. "Thou shalt not steal." Here, we come to another law that is at least part of our law today, but I have to say, many people see this as a gray area. Sure, those who steal a T.V. or take large amounts of money, or do something that is huge, people all agree that they should be convicted. But what about the small stuff? Do we look at our lives daily? How many out there believe little things aren't stealing. Pocketing a few office supplies, using the business phone, computer, or copier for personal use. We need to be very careful not to start out small; and really think about the fact God is always watching and always near. He wants us to be an example (I Thessalonians 5:22) - a light to this world (Matthew 5:14-16).

9. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." This commandment is hard for a lot of people. What does this commandment mean? - Lying. I don't know how many people I have heard say it's just a little white lie, or lying is a very gray area. Sure, there are big lies which everyone agrees are bad, but so are the little ones. We say we lie sometimes to help someone - but if everyone was honest and did not bear false witness, we wouldn't have to worry so much about hurting someone. We would all be glad the truth was told. We could really value each others opinion and work to live a life God wants us to live. Words would mean so much more than they do now.

10. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." I have to say, this is a hard commandment for me. We all fight the flesh daily, and when we see something we want, we can lament and maybe even become obsessed. I know I don't need the material things, but we can find ourselves getting drawn in. You find yourself thinking about the object or obsession constantly. I have to pray and tell myself daily to follow the words of Paul when he says, "...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Philippians 4:11) God has a perfect plan, and if we would follow these commandments, our lives would improve 100%. God will supply all our needs, not our wants but our needs! (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:25-34) So, we're not talking prosperity, not riches, not material things, not even health; but a feeling of good - a peace that passeth all understanding. (Philippians 4:7) A closer walk with God, is what you will gain, which is where we all should be focusing our lives. I want to be a better light to this world, I hope you do too.

Let's strive to keep the commandments which God has laid out for us, for God said "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) We need to seek the things of God daily in our lives and try our best to follow His will. For we need to put on the whole armour of God, that we might stand against the wiles of the devil, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Recently, we've seen the death of a pope and the election of a new one. This kind of event always brings out concerns all over the world, and one of the biggest is the concern for tolerance! In past centuries, there has been an intolerance in the Catholic church of any other religion. They have demanded all be under the authority of that church. As the centuries have passed, times have changed for the catholic church, and by the grace of God, they have not been able to hold on to the power they once had. With the election of a new pope, the world holds its breath to see if this new leader will try to return to the past in any way, or lead the catholic power into greater tolerance.

As the world goes wondering after the events of men, the true believer in Christ must be careful about what we allow to guide our lives. (2 Tim. 2:15) An organization of men can choose to wield its power, and force others to go along. An organization of men can choose to be more and more "tolerant" of other religions. In the past, Catholics have persecuted people for trying to be outside their authority. Today, they have a much more political approach. The Muslim religion wears the face of persecutor today, and many in that religion do believe zero tolerance of other religions is the only way to go. That makes them the target and the cause of much animosity.

However, the true believer in Christ must follow Christ's example, not the political tide of any organization or time period. We can not get caught up in the tolerance or no tolerance game. We can not allow ourselves to be overtaken with the arguments of men. For we have been told not to be conformed to this world! (Romans 12:2)

The Bible teaches us we need to check our actions instead of worrying so much about all the actions being taken around us. Paul says simply this, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:18. In action, true believers should have a great deal of tolerance. If God is not revoking man's free will, we definitely shouldn't be trying! We are even asked to go that extra mile. If a man smites you on the cheek, offer him another chance to do right. This also offers us the chance to check our own involvement in why such an action was taken. Jesus tells us, anyone in the world can hate their enemies and love their friends. He says we are to love our enemies and pray for those who use us. (Luke 6:26-36)

The problem today is, the word tolerance is being pushed in a way which tries to tell us what to believe. The word tolerance is being interpreted as meaning, change to what we believe in our hearts, not just what we do in our actions! One man, talking about the election of the new pope, said that his religion would get along just fine with the pope, as long as he recognized this man's religion as also being a way of salvation. This man's religion does not believe in Jesus Christ. Now, this may be a reasonable request to make of a political church or organization, but true believers in Christ must never give in to the idea there is salvation outside the name of Jesus, or it's all over! (John 3:17-19)

The fact true believers don't believe there is salvation without Jesus, and the fact they try to share, that belief, with others, is not hatred, it is love and concern for the salvation of others. We must be careful when the world tells us that proclaiming our belief in what the Bible clearly states, is somehow intolerant and hateful. If others do not like the fact the Bible tells us there is only one name under heaven where by we must be saved, (Acts 4:12) then that is the choice they have to make. The tragedy is not in the fact some will be offended, the tragedy is in the fact we may allow their offence to keep us from telling the truth in the first place.

There can be disagreement, and even dialogue about those disagreements, without violence and hatred. There is no need for believers to push their belief in every conversation. Don't be the believer who becomes the reason someone never wants to hear a believer again! We should pray for the right opportunity to share the gospel. We need to pray we are ready for that opportunity, so it does not pass without us opening our mouth, or knowing how to. We need to seek the Lord for how we might most effectively share the gospel to each individual, and be ready!

Paul said, "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (1 Cor. 9:19-22) Our love and concern for others, our respect for the fact they are a fellow human with their own unique experience which make them who they are, will gain much. (Titus 3:1-9) However, in it all, we need to seek to be the experience that leads them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, not the reason they go out into eternity believing that any old religion will do!