Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Genesis 3:7-13
At first it would seem Satan was right, the fruit was good to eat, and the fruit brought knowledge of good and evil. Indeed after eating the fruit Adam and Eve did gain the knowledge of good and evil. And there was no immediate evidence death was upon either one of them. This is how it was with the first sin, and this is how it is with all sin. The bible says sin brings pleasure for a season (Hebrews 11:25) But then “…the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
Sin is a package deal and the second part of the package is inescapable. Lets have a look at the second part of Adam and Eve’s sin.
Self Centeredness:
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;” v. 7 After eating the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve became self conscious. Before their sin their focus was on the animals of the earth, on tending the garden, on each other, and on their relationship with God. After their sin their focus shifted to themselves. They became aware of, and embarrassed about their nakedness. God didn’t design us to be focused on ourselves. People who sin become self absorbed, and people who are self absorbed tend to be unhappy. God’s design for us is to put Him and other people before ourselves in life. Talk to someone who’s entangled in sin and you’ll find the conversation is all about him, or her. Like the self centered man who after talking at length about himself to a friend said, “Enough about me, let’s talk about you. Tell me–what do you think about me?”
Separation From God:
…and they hid from God among the trees of the garden. v. 8 Sin separates us from God. Adam and Eve had a wonderful relationship with God in His spectacular garden. Intimacy with Him, closeness with Him, regular communication with Him was a regular part of their lives. After their sin, all that changed. When they heard the sound of His coming they were filled with guilt and shame, so they hid themselves, from Him. Their sin affected their relationship with Him, and a relationship with Him is the most important relationship there is. Your sin and my sin will affect our relationship with Him in the same way.
The Blame Game:
The woman You put here with me… v. 12 Adam says. The serpent You put here with us… v. 13 Eve says. God first of all, You were the one who put this woman here with me, Adam was saying, and she did it, it was Eve’s fault. (Stedman says, “He took it like a man, he blamed his wife!”) God You were the one who put the serpent here, and it’s his fault, Eve said. The blame game, finger pointing. This is the first account of that game and its been played by every member of the human race ever since. Notice God is implicated here, the woman You put in my life, the serpent You put here. Whenever you or I blame someone for something we’re ultimately blaming our Father in heaven, for putting that person in our life.
Your Most Important Line of Communication:
You may have read about the fire that destroyed 11 homes in Ashland, Oregon last month. I happened to be running a division at that fire. One of our tactics was to use helicopters to drop water on the burning homes. When the helicopters began operating it was important to keep them from dropping water on one particular house, where firefighters were working inside. That’s because a helicopter water drop pushes fire in all directions, in dramatic fashion. This could cause serious injury or death to those fighting fire inside.
“Command from Oak Knoll Division,” I said on the radio, “direct the helicopters NOT to drop on the house directly across from 8106.”
Command responded, “Copy, send a helicopter to drop water directly on the house across from 8106.”
Of course this was exactly what I didn’t want. “Negative, negative,” I said, “DO NOT drop water on the house across from 8106. There are firefighters operating inside.”
No response.
“Command from Oak Knoll Division, DO NOT drop water on the house across from 8106.” I repeated my request.
* Still no response.
Just then a helicopter approaches the area and appears to be lining up for a drop on the house next door to the one we want it to avoid. Hoping that the pilot can see me I encourage him to drop on the house next door by pointing and nodding. (Yes, kind of ridiculous I know, but I didn’t have my radio on the helicopter pilot’s frequency.) He’s low over the house next door and things are looking good, but then, before I know it, he’s passed it. Suddenly it becomes obvious he’s setting up to drop on the house with the firefighters inside. In desperation I’m jumping up and down, waving my arms frantically, trying to communicate to the helicopter pilot not to drop on top of the firefighters. In the midst of all the chaos, a friend of mine, Tyler McCarty, who works for Oregon Department of Forestry, walks up to me just as calm as can be and says,
“Kurt, would you like me to tell that helicopter not to drop on that house?”
“YES!!!” I shout, “yes I would!”
Tyler, who’s already on the helicopter’s frequency, radios the request directly to the pilot. The helicopter flies off, and the firefighters operating inside are saved.
The point is I rarely speak to helicopter pilots because my Fire Department is primarily a structural fire department. My friend Tyler works for a Wildland Fire agency, he talks to helicopter pilots all the time. His radio is on their frequency, and communication is easy.
It’s the same with God. When we’re in constant communication with Him, our relationship is easy. When our prayers are rare, when our scripture reading is only occasional, when our church attendance is sporadic, our relationship with Him suffers. We find ourselves on a different frequency.
Like Adam and Eve before their original sin, focus on God, your family, and the work God has set before you. Avoid sin to avoid separation from God, self-centeredness, and the blame game. Keep your line of communication with God flowing,
Don’t hide from God.
Talk with Him in prayer.
Listen to Him by reading His word.
Fellowship with Him by attending a church that teaches through the entire Bible.
Seek Him.
The day will come, when you’ll be glad you’re on His frequency.
Notes:
* An Incident Commander at a fire like this is completely swamped with all types of communication including face to face, cell phone, and radio communication over multiple frequencies. Not receiving a response for awhile or misunderstanding a radio transmission is not at all uncommon for any fire department operating on a large scale incident.
I believe God’s hand was with the firefighters that day. Within a few minutes of the arrival of the first engine 11 homes were burning. Across the street another 30 homes were threatened. A man who lived across the street from the fire was quoted in the newspaper as saying, “I’m not a religious man, but I know a miracle when I see it.” I agree, that fire should have jumped the street and 30 or so more homes should have burned that day. (Damian Mann, Mail Tribune, Ashland Fire Likely Worst in 100 Years, August 26, 2010)
References:
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Ray Stedman
Medford Mail Tribune
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Genesis 7:1-5 — Go into the ark, you and your whole family. Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.
Madeline
The King James Version of verse one says that …the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Indeed the Hebrew word for “come” is used here in the original text. What does this mean? If God is directing Noah to “come” into the ark, it can only mean that God is in the ark already! He’s beckoning Noah and his family to come. This is how it always is with God. His heart is for you and for me to come unto Him. Jesus beckons you and I to come unto Him for He said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) This is the answer because Jesus Christ is the ark of our salvation! Coming unto Jesus is the solution to the problem of separation from God. If you haven’t already, listen to God’s heart, come unto Him. (see So Your Life Is Falling Apart)
Here’s more good news from verse one of our text. We know the Lord loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) We know that He loves the world and we know He loves individuals. But pause for a moment and think with me about this first verse in Genesis chapter 7. In verse one we see that God has obviously taken notice of Noah’s righteousness, yet He tells Noah to Come thou and all thy house into the ark… (v.1) God could have started over with just two. He’d already done it once with Adam and Eve. But He chose to save Noah’s whole family instead.
Isn’t it terrific that God desires to save not only you, but your whole family as well!
Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal… (v.2) Seven pairs of clean animals would have been necessary to account for the animals sacrificed to the Lord. Only one pair would be required for the unclean.
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (v.5)
A few days ago my wife Kathy asked me to install a new thermostat.
“I did some research on the internet and it should only take about an hour,” she said.
So I dove in, removed the old thermostat from the wall, pulled out seven wires, and found that only four were used by the old model. As I read the instructions I learned that the new model used five wires.
“No big deal,” I thought. “How hard can this fifth wire thing be?”
After some research online I had the panel off of our heating unit and I was looking for a place to hook up the fifth wire – no good, can’t find the “C terminal” inside my heating unit.
“C terminal?! What the heck is that anyway?”
After a few phone conversations with Al, our local heating guy, I learn that I need to go under the house to check a junction box.
“I hate crawling under the house! A raccoon used to reside there, what if he’s back? My back always hurts when I crawl under the house.” I said to my wife with enthusiasm.
Under the house I go, belly crawling my way around in the dirt I find the junction box. It turns out that the blue wire is connected to a gray wire at the junction box.
“Dirty trick!” I said out loud.
So I figure out I need some extra wire and it’s off to Home Depot. At the checkout counter I see one of those large flat carts next to my wife, it has a large box on it.
“What’s that?” I ask, trepidation in my voice.
“It’s a grill,” Kathy answers.
“A grill?” I ask increduously.
“We need a new grill,” she says flatly.
I look at the box and read the words out loud, “some assembly required.” Great, just what I needed.
“Why me,” I say. “It’s Christmas time, New Years time. It’s the holidays. I’m supposed to be watching football! For goodness sake the Chick-fil-a Bowl is on!”
When we return it’s back on the internet again, back to the heating unit again, under the house again…
“This was supposed to take only one hour! What about me time? For cryin’ out loud the Meineke Car Care Bowl is on!”
Are you getting the picture?
Nearly two days and one hundred or so complaints later the thermostat is still not installed. So I call a friend of mine who is an electrician, Rick Chown, to seek some advice. While we’re on the phone Rick and his wife Linda begin to share about their granddaughter Madeline. (just a few minutes ago I also spoke with Madeline’s mother, Rachel)
How she had her first surgery when she was one day old.
How she’s had over fifty surgeries during her nine years on earth.
How she’s had pieces of metal implanted in her back to support her spine.
How these had to be removed recently.
How she continues to suffer from infections.
And how she lights up a room with her smile and great attitude, in spite of her many painful challenges.
Rick shared this video of Madeline with me. She was recently fitted with a halo device which is attached to a rack designed to take pressure off her spine. She wheels around the Dallas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in this thing, encouraging the other patients with her good cheer. (see Rogers Family Blog)
Wow! You can imagine how I feel.
…Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (v.5) Noah knew what the Lord wanted him to do. Like you I often wonder what God’s will is for me. Sometimes I say to myself, “If only I knew what God wanted me to do, I’d do it.” I have good news. God tells me and God tells you what His will is for us.
“What does God’s will, giving thanks in all circumstances, look like?” you might ask.
Sometimes it looks like a little girl with a halo,
spinning and smiling,
spinning and smiling.
References:
Bible Gateway
Jon Courson
Rogers Family Blog
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Posted on January 1, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
1 Thessalonians 5:18, Christian, Christian living, Christianity, Genesis, Genesis 7, Genesis 7:1-5, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus, Jesus
Genesis 6:16 — A window shalt thou make to the ark… (KJV)
God directed Noah to build a window near the top of the ark. He provided light for Noah and his family, if…
If Noah chose to open the window.
God provides light for you and for me, as long as we choose to open up the window of His word.
It’s up to you and it’s up to me how much of God’s light we enjoy. His word is there, waiting for us. It might feel easier to watch Sports Center or that cooking show. You might feel like gravitating toward Facebook or Call of Duty: Black Ops.
But the degree to which we choose to spend time in God’s word is the degree to which our lives will be changed for His kindgom.
Let God’s light in.
Read His word.
[Image via Traveling Mermaid – Creative Commons]
References:
Bible Gateway
Jon Courson
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Posted on December 30, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
1 John 1:5, A window shalt thou make to the ark, Christian, Christian living, Genesis 6, read bible
Genesis 6:1-12 — Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God
Noah’s Ark Under Construction (artist unknown)
When human beings began to increase in number on the earth… (v.1) Imagine with me how rapidly the population would multiply in a time when the average lifespan ranged from 777 to 969 years. (Genesis 5) People had that much more time to have children. And of course the parents, grandparents, great grandparents, great great grandparents, etc. would be included in the population count for a time period, in some cases, approaching 1,000 years. We know that the current worldwide average human lifespan is 69 years. (Data Source World Bank, World Development Indicators) We also know that the average woman worldwide has 4 children. (median average: World Bank, Fertility Rate Data) If we take a conservative approach and multiply the current human lifespan by 10 to 690 years and we say that every 69 years an antediluvian woman (woman before the great flood) had 3 children, that’s 30 children per mother during each lifetime. If that were true, in just nine generations the earth would be populated with more than 5 billion people. (see table below) Now I’m not saying that there were more than 5 billion people on earth before the flood. I’m just pointing out that the population of the world just before the flood was most likely quite substantial, possibly even comparable to our population today.
…the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. (v.2) Some scholars say that the sons of God mentioned here refer to the line of Seth and the daughters of humans refer to the line of Cain. A couple of thoughts. In verse 2 we see the term “sons of God” which is benai elohim in the original Hebrew. And we see it again in verse 4: The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. Every time the term benai elohim is found in the Old Testament it refers to angels. So it could be that these are …the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home. (Jude 1:6) It could be that these are those who God subsequently …has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. (Jude:1:6) It fits because the term Nephilim used in verse 4 means giants. If the sons of God and the daughters of humans were from the lines of Seth and Cain then why were the offspring giants? And verse 4 also refers to the heroes of old, men of renown. It would appear that the offspring of the sons of God and the daughters of humans were some type of giant super beings. Notice too that in verse 4 the phrase and also afterward is used. This explains the giants such as Goliath of Gath who are found after the flood. I’m inclined to agree with the scholars who adhere to this second school of thought. It’s interesting that these sons of God are mentioned twice here in Genesis 6. Could it be that this was the basis for the myths of ancient Greece? Of course we don’t know for certain. I’m looking forward to hearing the full explanation in heaven.
The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (v.5) According to the FBI, in the U.S., every 34 1/2 minutes someone commits murder, every 6 minutes someone forcibly rapes, every 1 1/3 minutes someone commits a violent robbery, and every 39.1 seconds someone commits an aggravated assault. It’s no wonder that …the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” (v. 3) God’s adjustment to the human lifespan from the 777 to 969 year range to a maximum lifespan of around 120 years was an act of mercy.
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. (v.6) The Lord’s heart was deeply troubled at the sin and wickedness of man. So He determined that He would wipe mankind from the face of the earth. Unless… unless they would listen to the one who had found favor in God’s sight. Unless they would listen to Noah, the descendant of Enoch, the man who walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. (Genesis 5:24) In that culture of evil and wickedness God found a man who desired to walk in His ways. Today there’s so much emphasis on going with the flow of society. If you believe in what God teaches in His word you’re often ridiculed. I just learned about a friend’s experience having lunch at a restaurant in a metropolitan area with another Christian brother: their Bibles were open, they were quietly discussing God’s word, when they noticed that the people at the table next to them were requesting to be moved because they were offended. Just envision what it was like for Noah in his day. It must have been far worse than what we experience today. Yet Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (v.9) Noah resisted the flow of his culture and lived his life according to God’s word. What if he hadn’t? What if he had crumbled under the pressure of those around him and went with the flow. It may have meant the end of mankind.
Jesus said,
The people in Noah’s day gave no regard to Noah’s testimony of the building of the ark. Jesus says that in the days before His coming it will be as it was in the days of Noah, people will continue to live their lives as they always have, without regard to Jesus’ testimony. Did you know that one of the most dangerous activities you do, by far, is to drive or ride in a car? Every thirteen minutes someone dies in a car accident in the U.S. That’s just one of the ways that Jesus might come to you or I in the next day, or week, or month. Talk with any family member of someone who’s died recently in a car accident and they’ll tell you, they knew nothing about what would happen until… (Matthew 24:39) How are you living your life? Are you and your friends and family eating, drinking, or marrying without any thought given to when Jesus might return? Follow the example of Noah. Resist the flow of our culture, of what’s on TV, of the news on the internet.
May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways… (1 Kings 8:58)
Live for Him.
Antediluvian Population Growth Table:
1st generation: 2
2nd generation: 32
3rd generation: 482
4th generation: 7,232
5th generation: 108,482
6th generation: 1,627,232
7th generation: 24,408,482
8th generation: 366,127,232
9th generation: 5,491,908,482
References:
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Biblos
The World Bank
Oxford Journals
FBI Crime Clock
Chuck Smith
Ray Stedman
Jon Courson
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Posted on November 27, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Christian, Christian living, Genesis 6, Genesis 6-12, God saw how corrupt the earth had become for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways, Jesus, Mathew 24:37-39
Cain and Abel–The Blood Cries Out: Genesis 4:10-16
Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod,east of Eden.
Genesis 4:10-16
We have to keep in mind that before Cain murdered Abel, no human had ever died. Cain and everyone else alive at that time, had never been exposed to a friend or relative dying in the hospital, to a violent movie with a high body count, to a first person shooter game with gory graphics where the goal is to kill as many of the enemy as possible, or to a real life war where the same goal presides.
So when Cain stood over Abel, lying there with dark warm blood blood flowing from him into the ground, Cain couldn’t be sure what to expect. He may not even have realized that his anger would have such a dramatic result. The reality of physical death was a new concept. He must have feared God in that moment but at the same time, he may have taken hope in that Abel’s blood didn’t pool on the surface of the earth but rather it disappeared into the ground which opened its mouth to receive it. (v. 12) At that time there were no police officers, no judges, no man made justice system to investigate Abel’s death. Perhaps Cain thought that he could move on with his life, now without the person who distressed him the most.
Perhaps the religious leaders who killed Jesus thought the same. What a thorn in their side He was, this upstart Rabbi who was so open and honest about everything, including their shortcomings. This One who was stealing away the hearts of the people with His love, His mercy, and His miracles. He was a threat to their authority but now, they may have thought, now that he’s been crucified, we’ve removed this one who has distressed us so. The religious leaders surely thought, “We’ve eliminated him.” The political leader, Pilate, surely thought, “I’ve washed my hands of him.”
Of course in both the case of Abel and the case of Jesus, this was not to be. As a result of Abel’s death, Cain’s life was changed forever. Abel’s blood cried out to God and demanded justice. Cain learned, as we all learn, that we can be sure our sin will find us out.
Jesus’ blood also cried out, but Jesus’ blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:24) Abel’s blood cried out for justice but Jesus’ blood cried out “Father forgive them.” (Luke 23:24) As a result of Jesus’ death, the world changed forever. A way to reconcile with the Father was provided. A way that’s available to you and to me right now. (see Your New Life)
Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. (v. 13) Now that the truth of Cain’s deed has come to light we see that Cain is afraid for his life. Think about it, Cain lived in a time so early in the development of the human race that wherever Cain went he would encounter his relatives. And his relatives, either out of fear of Cain or out of a desire for vengeance, might attempt to kill him. But God puts a mark on Cain to deal with this issue.
Abel’s relatives learned from Cain’s mark that it wasn’t theirs to take revenge. It’s the Lord’s to avenge. You and I must realize the same. Though we may possess a deep desire to, it’s not for us to take action. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)
A second reason for Cain’s mark is because of God’s love for Cain. Yes Cain murdered his brother, yes Cain has been weighed in the balance and found guilty, and yes Cain will experience consequences for his sin. Never the less God loves Cain. God’s mark, whatever it may have been, served as protection for Cain and helped Cain to endure his years in the land of Nod, which is literally Wandering.
Is there a person in your life who distresses you? Do you ever wish that he or she were gone? Beware of the way of Cain. (Jude v.11) Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. (Genesis 4:7) Cain’s anger resulted in a life in Nod or Wandering. Your anger can alter your life path in ways that you never thought possible. Jesus tells us the way we’re to respond to those who distress us:
References:
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Ray Stedman
C.H. Spurgeon
John Courson
[Image via gabork – Creative Commons]
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Posted on November 6, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Christian, Christian living, Christianity, forgive, Forgiveness, Genesis, Genesis 4, Genesis 4:10-16, how to forgive
Genesis 4:9-15 — “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
God Running is a place for anyone who wants to (or even anyone who wants to want to) love Jesus more deeply, follow Jesus more closely, and love people the way Jesus wants us to.
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Posted on October 30, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Am I my brother's keeper?, Christian, Christian living, Genesis 4, Genesis 4:9, I tell you the truth whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine you did for me, Jesus, Jude 1:11, Jude v 11, Matthew 25:34-40
Genesis 4:1-8 — Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.
Photo from “The Working Class” blog
The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.(v.4-5) It could be that there’s a problem with Cain’s sacrifice. It may be that a blood sacrifice was required, as the word says in Hebrews 9:22, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Different Bible scholars teach it different ways. But without question there’s a problem with Cain’s heart. The way of Cain is identified in Jude 1:11 as a way that is polluted by a problem with the heart. We don’t know for certain what that problem is but a clue is given in Hebrews 11:4 where we’re told that By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. (Hebrews 11:4) We don’t know for certain what was at the heart of the issue, but Cain did, and God did. Two people standing next to each other in church, both singing the same praise song or hymn, perhaps God respects the worship of one but perhaps not the worship of another. Two give the same amount of tithe, perhaps God respects the giving of one but perhaps not the giving of the other. You and I may know that the same amount is given, we may hear the same song, but the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. (1 Chronicles 28:9)
So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (v. 5-7) Here we are, barely four chapters into the Bible, and God’s grace is manifested yet again when he comes to Cain. Adam and Eve were hiding after their sin, and God came looking to help them. Cain is angry, having sin in his heart, and God comes looking for him. God always comes looking for sinners, but, unfortunately, not all sinners go looking for God.
One thing we do know for sure is that Cain is angry. Often times behind anger lies jealousy, and always behind jealousy lies pride. Isn’t it amazing, the things that make us jealous? We get jealous because someone gets a cubicle that’s a little bigger than ours, or someone gets assigned a better parking space than we did, or someone’s son or daughter plays a sport better than ours does, or someone makes more money than we do. God help us. We each have a little bit of Cain within us, don’t we. We all want our desires to be God’s desires, and when God does what God does that’s not consistent with our own wants, how angry it can make us. Each of us thinks that we should have an immunity from the problems, unfairness, and injustices that everyone faces in life.
First cousins Willy and Georgie never got along well. Willy was especially envious of his cousin Georgie, which isn’t all that unusual among cousins. But the consequences of Willy’s jealousy and envy were different than those of other children, it carried on into adulthood and ultimately effected most of the world. You see cousin Willy was Kaiser Wilhelm II, ruler of Germany. And cousin Georgie was King George V of England. Cousin Willy, in his adult years, was jealous of cousin Georgie’s far flung British Empire. Also, at the annual yacht races Germany lost regularly to Britain which contributed to cousin Willie’s intense envy of the British navy. Many don’t realize the great extent to which Kaiser Wilhelm’s envy of his cousin George contributed to the start of World War I.
God in His mercy warned Cain that “sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (v. 7) God is saying, don’t treat jealousy lightly. If you allow it to take up residence you’ll soon find yourself in the grip of a power greater than you thought possible. In Romans 12:15 God teaches us to rejoice with those who rejoice; and to mourn with those who mourn. But envy turns that all around. When we envy, or when we’re jealous we often rejoice when that certain person mourns and we mourn when that certain person rejoices. Therefore, rid yourselves of all envy. (1 Peter 2:1) Or you’ll find yourself doing things that you never thought you would do. I’ve lived it, I’ve been there, take heed. Rid yourself of it for who can stand before jealousy? (Proverbs 27:4) And envy rots the bones. (Proverbs 14:30)
If only Cain had responded differently. What might have happened had Cain asked God for His help. What might have happened if Cain had said, like David, Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love (Psalm 51:1) Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10) This is what Cain should have done. This is what you and I must do whenever we encounter anger, jealousy, pride, envy, or any other sin. We must return to the Father like the prodigal son. (see previous post) But Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. (Genesis 4:8)
Anger, jealousy, pride, envy, they’re all cousins. They’re all emotions that are related and intertwined with each other:
References:
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Bob Davis
Chuck Smith
Ray Stedman
C.H. Spurgeon
Robert K. Massie, Dreadnought
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Posted on October 26, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study, Genesis
anger, But if you do not do what is right sin is crouching at your door it desires to have you but you must master it, Christian, envy, Genesis 4:1-8, Jesus Christ
Genesis 3 — The tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree at Calvary
God Running is a place for anyone who wants to (or even anyone who wants to want to) love Jesus more deeply, follow Jesus more closely, and love people the way Jesus wants us to.
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Posted on October 23, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study, Genesis
Calvary, Carrying his own cross Jesus went out to the place of the Skull, do this in remembrance of me, Genesis 3, Here they crucified him, In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Jesus Christ, John 19:17-18, Luke 22:19, tree of Calvary tree of the knowledge of good and evil
Genesis 3:20-24 — he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life
Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. (v. 20) Interestingly in January of 1987, three scientists, Rebecca L. Cann, Mark Stoneking, and Allan C. Wilson published an article in the journal Nature that announced that everyone in the human race descended from one mother. They called her Eve. Now they’ll argue about when she existed, and where she resided, but isn’t it remarkable that even science today recognizes that all of the human race is descended from one mother? I believe that over time, as scientific methods improve, science may ultimately confirm the accuracy of the bible.
The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (v. 21) God, in His grace and mercy, clothed Adam and Eve, not for His benefit, for Hebrews 4:13 says, Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. But God in His grace clothed Adam and Eve for Adam and Eve’s sake. Close your eyes and envision with me that your going out into the woods, finding fig leaves or leaves of any kind for that matter, and attempting to clothe yourself with them. Obviously it was a pathetic attempt made by Adam and Eve then, and still today, whenever you or I attempt to cover our sin in our own energy, it’s feeble at best. God had to do it, God had to clothe Adam and Eve after their sin. God offers to clothe us today. He provided His Son and offers Him to us so that we can be clothed with His righteousness if we but ask. (Isaiah 61:10, Revelation 3:20)
Now close your eyes again and imagine with me what Adam and Eve saw when they turned to look back as they left the Garden. There at the East side of the Garden they saw the bloody remains of the animals that were sacrificed so that they could be clothed, and they saw cherubim standing over the sacrifice. It’s interesting that later we see the same picture of cherubim and sacrifice in the tabernacle, and then again in the temple, and then again at the empty tomb where two angels would stand post over the slab stained with the blood of Jesus Christ. Animals were sacrificed to clothe Adam and Eve and Jesus died died for your sin and for my sin because, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22) Sin requires sacrifice.
And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. (v. 22-24)
Thank God for driving Adam and Eve out of the Garden and blocking the physical way to the tree of life. Can you imagine what it would be like to live forever in this world polluted by sin? Apparently God could. His grace and mercy continues in that He found a way to limit the pain from all of the sin, guilt, shame, and destruction that all of humanity would endure after the fall of man. Because Adam and Eve no longer had access to the tree of life they would, mercifully, die after a time and enter into their rest.
Since the fall, the way, the physical way, to eternal life with God has been cut off.
But in His grace God provided another way. Only one way, and not a physical way, but a way none the less. Jesus said,
Jesus is the way. Find Him and you’ll find the way to eternal life with God.
Go to Join Christ’s Family to learn how.
References:
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Ray Stedman
In Christ Alone
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
Chuck Missler
Nature.com
Jon Courson
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Posted on October 16, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study, Genesis
cheribum, Christian, Christian living, Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:20-24, how do I become a Christian, Jesus Christ
Genesis 3:14-19 — Because you have done this…
In the last post we learned about three of the consequences of sin: self centeredness, separation from God, and the blaming of others. Adam and Eve attempted to hide from God after their sin. Of course that didn’t change anything. You can’t hide from God. (Jeremiah 23:24, Psalm 139:7-12, Isaiah 29:15-16, Amos 9:2) Unfortunately, those three consequences were just the beginning of the repercussions that resulted from the sin in the garden. In fact the very next verse after where we left off ends with God saying, “Because you have done this…” (v. 14) Additional consequences include…
Affliction
“Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.” (v. 14) In the beginning, the serpent wasn’t limited to slithering. In the beginning, the serpent didn’t have to eat dust every day. In the beginning, the serpent didn’t look like a snake. In Matthew 18:6 Jesus said that, “…if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” The serpent caused God’s original children to sin, and he paid dearly. Even in the millennium described in Isaiah chapter 65, after the world is restored to a Garden of Eden like condition, the serpent will continue to eat dust. (Isaiah 65) Sin is debilitating. Sin changes the way we walk. When we sin, rather than walking uprightly, we crawl around. Afflicted by sin we slither, snake, sneak, and squirm. We worm, wriggle, and writhe our way. Sin changes the way you move through life.
Enmity
“Because you have done this,” (v. 14) “…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (v. 15) Sin causes enmity. The most common casualty of sin is a relationship, between a husband and wife, between friends, between family. This verse also speaks of the struggle that would ensue from this point forward between good and evil. Most importantly this verse refers to Eve’s seed. This is a rather curious reference because women of course don’t have any seed, women receive seed from men. Normally when God refers to seed in the Bible He’s talking about the seed of a man. Of course every woman needs the seed of a man to conceive a child. Every woman except one, Mary, the one, the only one, who miraculously conceived without the seed of a man. This verse is a prophetic verse that speaks of Jesus’ glory and victory. Mary’s seed would ultimately have victory over that evil one. Mary’s seed did ultimately crush the head of Satan when Jesus defeated Satan on the cross.
Pain
“Because you have done this,” (v. 14) “…I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (v. 16) As a result of Eve’s sin, birth, the very act that brings joy into our lives, and the very act that continues the human family can now only come with pain. It wasn’t supposed to be that way. Sin causes pain — the pain of regret, the pain of guilt, the pain of shame. Things God never intended to cause pain, things God intended to be nothing but a blessing are broken by sin.
Toil
“Because you have done this,” (v. 14) “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. (v. 17) First of all this is a great reminder that as men, it can be so easy sometimes to listen to our wives, other family, or friends, to go along to get along, even when we should really be listening to God. Before we listen to our wives, before we listen to anyone, we need to listen to God and put His word first. Also notice that Adam’s work changed at this point. In the Garden of Eden he was blessed with the work of tending a garden that responded to his touch in ways that we can only imagine. But as a result of his sin Adam had to, and you and I have to, earn our way through painful toil. Because of the fallen state of the world, everyone now must deal with thorns and thistles in their work life. (v. 18)
Death
“Because you have done this,” (v. 14) “…dust you are and to dust you will return.” (v. 19) And there it is, Satan was wrong after all, Adam and Eve and the rest of the human race would from that point forward return to dust. As God said in Genesis 2:17, “…you will surely die.” (see previous post You will surely die) But even before their physical death, Adam and Eve experienced spiritual death the moment they sinned against God. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, when the son repents and returns to the Father, the Father says in Luke 15:24, For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. When we sin, from God’s perspective, we experience a spiritual death. And no one’s perspective is more important than God’s. Of course sin also causes the death of relationships — the death of a marriage, the death of a family relationship, or the death of a friendship.
For the wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23)
The mess sin makes in the end. Self-centeredness, separation from God Himself, blaming behavior, affliction, enmity, pain, toil, and ultimately, death result every time — spiritual death and the death of relationships. Sin isn’t bad because it’s forbidden. Sin is forbidden because it’s bad. It’s bad for you and it’s bad for me. Because God loves us He has identified for us what sin is and He forbids us to engage in it. God forbids it because He is for you. And he wants to save you from its destructive power against you.
And He doesn’t stop there. Even beyond His efforts to keep us from sin, God loves you so much that He’s provided a way for you to reconcile yourself to Him in spite of your sin. Did you know that the only place in the entire Bible where God is seen running is in the parable of the Prodigal Son? In Luke 15:20 Jesus said, “…while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Perhaps you’ve recently decided to change your life but you’re still “a long way off.” God earnestly desires reconciliation with you. He’s given His only Son as a sacrifice for every sin you and I have ever committed, are committing, or will ever commit.
Accept Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross for your sins. Go to this link: So Your Life Is Falling Apart.
Newly released book by Kurt Bennett, now available on Amazon!
Love Like Jesus: How Jesus Loved People (and how you can love like Jesus)
Love Like Jesus begins with the story of how after a life of regular church attendance and Bible study, Bennett was challenged by a pastor to study Jesus. That led to an obsessive seven year deep dive. After pouring over Jesus’ every interaction with another human being, he realized he was doing a much better job of studying Jesus’ words than he was following Jesus’ words and example. The honest and fearless revelations of Bennett’s own moral failures affirm he wrote this book for himself as much as for others.
Love Like Jesus examines a variety of stories, examples, and research, including:
With genuine unfiltered honesty, Love Like Jesus, shows you how to live a life according to God’s definition of success: A life of loving God well, and loving the people around you well too.
A life of loving like Jesus.
(Kindle, hardcover, and paperback now available on Amazon.)
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Posted on October 3, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Study, Genesis
Genesis 3:14-19, how do I become a Christian, Jesus Christ, wages of sin is death
Genesis 3:7-13 — They Realized They Were Naked
At first it would seem Satan was right, the fruit was good to eat, and the fruit brought knowledge of good and evil. Indeed after eating the fruit Adam and Eve did gain the knowledge of good and evil. And there was no immediate evidence death was upon either one of them. This is how it was with the first sin, and this is how it is with all sin. The bible says sin brings pleasure for a season (Hebrews 11:25) But then “…the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
Sin is a package deal and the second part of the package is inescapable. Lets have a look at the second part of Adam and Eve’s sin.
Self Centeredness:
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;” v. 7 After eating the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve became self conscious. Before their sin their focus was on the animals of the earth, on tending the garden, on each other, and on their relationship with God. After their sin their focus shifted to themselves. They became aware of, and embarrassed about their nakedness. God didn’t design us to be focused on ourselves. People who sin become self absorbed, and people who are self absorbed tend to be unhappy. God’s design for us is to put Him and other people before ourselves in life. Talk to someone who’s entangled in sin and you’ll find the conversation is all about him, or her. Like the self centered man who after talking at length about himself to a friend said, “Enough about me, let’s talk about you. Tell me–what do you think about me?”
Separation From God:
…and they hid from God among the trees of the garden. v. 8 Sin separates us from God. Adam and Eve had a wonderful relationship with God in His spectacular garden. Intimacy with Him, closeness with Him, regular communication with Him was a regular part of their lives. After their sin, all that changed. When they heard the sound of His coming they were filled with guilt and shame, so they hid themselves, from Him. Their sin affected their relationship with Him, and a relationship with Him is the most important relationship there is. Your sin and my sin will affect our relationship with Him in the same way.
The Blame Game:
The woman You put here with me… v. 12 Adam says. The serpent You put here with us… v. 13 Eve says. God first of all, You were the one who put this woman here with me, Adam was saying, and she did it, it was Eve’s fault. (Stedman says, “He took it like a man, he blamed his wife!”) God You were the one who put the serpent here, and it’s his fault, Eve said. The blame game, finger pointing. This is the first account of that game and its been played by every member of the human race ever since. Notice God is implicated here, the woman You put in my life, the serpent You put here. Whenever you or I blame someone for something we’re ultimately blaming our Father in heaven, for putting that person in our life.
Your Most Important Line of Communication:
You may have read about the fire that destroyed 11 homes in Ashland, Oregon last month. I happened to be running a division at that fire. One of our tactics was to use helicopters to drop water on the burning homes. When the helicopters began operating it was important to keep them from dropping water on one particular house, where firefighters were working inside. That’s because a helicopter water drop pushes fire in all directions, in dramatic fashion. This could cause serious injury or death to those fighting fire inside.
“Command from Oak Knoll Division,” I said on the radio, “direct the helicopters NOT to drop on the house directly across from 8106.”
Command responded, “Copy, send a helicopter to drop water directly on the house across from 8106.”
Of course this was exactly what I didn’t want. “Negative, negative,” I said, “DO NOT drop water on the house across from 8106. There are firefighters operating inside.”
No response.
“Command from Oak Knoll Division, DO NOT drop water on the house across from 8106.” I repeated my request.
* Still no response.
Just then a helicopter approaches the area and appears to be lining up for a drop on the house next door to the one we want it to avoid. Hoping that the pilot can see me I encourage him to drop on the house next door by pointing and nodding. (Yes, kind of ridiculous I know, but I didn’t have my radio on the helicopter pilot’s frequency.) He’s low over the house next door and things are looking good, but then, before I know it, he’s passed it. Suddenly it becomes obvious he’s setting up to drop on the house with the firefighters inside. In desperation I’m jumping up and down, waving my arms frantically, trying to communicate to the helicopter pilot not to drop on top of the firefighters. In the midst of all the chaos, a friend of mine, Tyler McCarty, who works for Oregon Department of Forestry, walks up to me just as calm as can be and says,
“Kurt, would you like me to tell that helicopter not to drop on that house?”
“YES!!!” I shout, “yes I would!”
Tyler, who’s already on the helicopter’s frequency, radios the request directly to the pilot. The helicopter flies off, and the firefighters operating inside are saved.
The point is I rarely speak to helicopter pilots because my Fire Department is primarily a structural fire department. My friend Tyler works for a Wildland Fire agency, he talks to helicopter pilots all the time. His radio is on their frequency, and communication is easy.
It’s the same with God. When we’re in constant communication with Him, our relationship is easy. When our prayers are rare, when our scripture reading is only occasional, when our church attendance is sporadic, our relationship with Him suffers. We find ourselves on a different frequency.
Like Adam and Eve before their original sin, focus on God, your family, and the work God has set before you. Avoid sin to avoid separation from God, self-centeredness, and the blame game. Keep your line of communication with God flowing,
Don’t hide from God.
Talk with Him in prayer.
Listen to Him by reading His word.
Fellowship with Him by attending a church that teaches through the entire Bible.
Seek Him.
The day will come, when you’ll be glad you’re on His frequency.
Notes:
* An Incident Commander at a fire like this is completely swamped with all types of communication including face to face, cell phone, and radio communication over multiple frequencies. Not receiving a response for awhile or misunderstanding a radio transmission is not at all uncommon for any fire department operating on a large scale incident.
I believe God’s hand was with the firefighters that day. Within a few minutes of the arrival of the first engine 11 homes were burning. Across the street another 30 homes were threatened. A man who lived across the street from the fire was quoted in the newspaper as saying, “I’m not a religious man, but I know a miracle when I see it.” I agree, that fire should have jumped the street and 30 or so more homes should have burned that day. (Damian Mann, Mail Tribune, Ashland Fire Likely Worst in 100 Years, August 26, 2010)
References:
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Ray Stedman
Medford Mail Tribune
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Posted on September 25, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Ashland fire 2010, Ashland Oregon worst fire, Christian living, consequences of sin, Genesis 3:7-13, Oak Knoll fire, sin, Then the eyes of both of them were opened
Genesis 3:1-6 — “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman.
This is like breaking down the game plan of an opposing team. There are some very basic plays in Satan’s play book and once these are understood… don’t kid yourself, you’re still susceptable to them, but, it can be helpful to see the simplicity of his tactics.
The Tactics of the Enemy:
1) Calling God’s word into question:
“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1)The enemy said, “Did God really say that?” Did God really mean this? Is all scripture really inspired by God? Come on now, all of it? You don’t really believe that the Red Sea was parted do you? Is all scripture really without error? What about that part of the Bible that just doesn’t seem quite right to you — I don’t think that part is inspired. Calling God’s word into question is one of the basic tactics of the enemy.
Notice also that the enemy twisted God’s words for God of course never said that Adam and Eve must not eat from any tree in the garden.
2) Denying the existence of judgment or consequences:
…the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.” (Genesis 3:4) “There are no consequences,” the enemy says to you and says to me. You won’t die a spiritual death — because there is no hell. Your marriage relationship won’t die — if you have sex outside of marriage. You will not surely die — if you don’t accept Jesus as your savior. Denying the consequences of not abiding by God’s word and will — a second tactic of Satan.
3) Misrepresenting God’s nature:
“For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) God doesn’t want you to eat from this fruit because he wants to hold you back. He doesn’t want you to advance to the point where you have knowledge of good and evil because he’s jealous, in the worst sense of the word — He wants to keep you down. Of course God knew the consequences of eating the fruit and forbid Adam and Eve from doing so for their own benefit. God always wants what’s best for you and for me. Satan always portrays God in the opposite light. How could a loving God allow people to suffer? People suffer because the world is in a fallen state as the result of what happens in the next few verses. How could a loving God allow people to go to hell? God says that if you’re bound and determined to go to hell, you can, but, you’ll have to do it over My dead body, over the body of My Son, Jesus Christ. (see previous post on Eternity)
Only 3 plays left in his playbook — the final three tactics of the enemy:
1 John 2:16 says: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
4) The lust of the flesh:
The enemy’s 4th tactic is to try to appeal to the lust of your flesh. Genesis 3:6 says that, When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food… When the woman saw that this fruit would feed her flesh, that it would taste good, that it would please her flesh… When the alcoholic sees that a drink will please his flesh, when a man or woman sees that an extramarital relationship will please his or her flesh, when the businessman decides to cut a corner so he can make money that will purchase things that gratify, sin is at hand, life altering consequences are at hand.
5) The lust of the eyes:
The 5th tactic is to try to appeal to the lust of the eyes. Verse 6 also says that when the woman saw that the fruit was pleasing to the eye… When the woman was visually attracted to the fruit, when the woman was drawn to the fruit because of its visual appeal… When the man is visually attracted to pornographic images on the internet, when the woman is visually attracted to clothes that will break the budget, when the man is visually attracted to that thing that he covets that he can’t afford, sin is at hand, lives will be damaged.
6) The pride of life:
The 6th tactic is to try to appeal to the pride of life. Verse 6 also says that when the woman saw that the fruit was desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. When the woman thought, I can advance, I can be wise like God, I can have some of the same knowledge that God has… When the New Ager says that you too can be a God. Or when the cult says that, like God, you too can rule your own planet. Or when the intellectual says that scripture is for those who need a crutch, anyone with intelligence is above all of this Bible nonsense, sin is at hand again, eternal consequences are in play.
The Enemy’s Enemy
We see the enemy attempt to use the same final 3 tactics again in Matthew 4. But, this time Satan is playing his game against Jesus.
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:1-3) Jesus was hungry, Satan attempted to use his old standby, number 4, the lust of the flesh. But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4)
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
” ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Matthew 4:5-6)
Prove you are who you say you are, prove you are God’s Son! Come on, prove it! Old standby number 6 was used here, the pride of life. But Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Matthew 4:7)
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8-9) Look at all the splendor before you, just look at it, look! Old standby number 5, the lust of the eyes. But Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” (Matthew 4:10)
Jesus said that Satan was a liar and a murderer from the beginning. (John 8:44) As I said earlier, understanding the enemy’s tactics can be helpful in avoiding his pitfalls. However the real power for protection from Satan’s devices comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Why not ask Him into your life now? What do you have to lose? Click on this link and do what it says to be saved: Save me.
References:
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Bob Davis
Jon Courson
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Posted on September 18, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
1 John 2:16, how Satan, Tactics of the enemy
Marriage, and Mom and Dad: Genesis 2:24-25
Cleaving Without Leaving
Many young people today are attempting the first part of Genesis 2:24, becoming one flesh, but leaving out the second part of the verse, leaving their father and mother. I believe many marriages suffer unnecessarily, or even fail, because without the second part, leaving father and mother, the first part, becoming one flesh, doesn’t work very well. Independence from mom and dad is a huge key to a healthy marriage. A husband and wife must form a team of three: the husband, the wife, and their God. When a dad and/or mom is involved it becomes a team of 4 or 5. Or if both sets of parents are involved, a team of seven! God’s way is the best way, and it’s up to us as parents to allow our kids to separate, to leave. Because if they don’t leave, emotionally as well as physically, then they won’t cleave. The parents I see who fall into the trap of over involvement are the same parents who cause problems in the marriages of their kids and in their kids relationship with Jesus too. Too much involvement in our adult kids’ marriages makes things worse instead of better. Young married people, especially you husbands, insist on independence. Guard your marriage from your parent’s over involvement, in a loving and gracious manner, but with tenacity. For you to be successful in your marriage your spouse must come before your parents, and your God must come before your spouse.
Just Friends
And in case you’ve already successfully left your parents, be sure to leave others as well. Friendship with those of the opposite sex, the kind of friendship that involves time alone together, even small amounts of time alone together, is nearly always found at the beginning of an adulterous relationship. Don’t do it. Don’t invest in that relationship at work or at the gym, even if you don’t feel an attraction. As you invest your heart will inevitably follow as Jesus said in Luke 12:34. And as God says to us in Proverbs 6:27-28, Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
Jesus on Divorce
Jesus quoted from Genesis 2:24 when the Pharisees came to trap Him with a question. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” (Matthew 19:3) They probably thought, “If we can get Jesus to say that divorce is not permitted, not God’s will, then we can quote the law of Moses and, BOOM, the trap is shut, we’ve got him.” But Jesus went back to the beginning, to God’s original plan for marriage, before the law was given to Moses. Jesus from Genesis 2:24,
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6)
Perhaps at this point the Pharisees, realizing that they’d been out maneuvered, asked the following question, as a last ditch effort to salvage their trap…
“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” (Matthew 19:7)
But Jesus replied,
“Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:8-9)
Divorce Reality Check
Today we’ve seen a rather large cultural shift from divorce being such a negative to a new perception of divorce as a liberating, freeing, positive experience. A single parent household, a man and woman living together unmarried perhaps with children, these are seen as acceptable alternative lifestyles. What’s being completely ignored is the well being of the children of divorce. The vast majority of children from divorced families surveyed say they’d like to see their original family back together. Have you heard that statistic before? Probably not. Five years after divorce more than a third of children experienced depression. Even at 10 years and 15 years after divorce, many of the children involved had significant problems. Children from divorced families were found to be less successful in life than children from intact families, particularly in the areas of relationships and careers.
Most of the time the custody of the children goes to the mother. What’s not a part of the public discussion is that about half of all single mothers live below the poverty line. And this desperate economic circumstance is not for the short haul — on average it lasts for six years after a divorce. For African American single mothers it’s much worse, 10 years after divorce only 33% of African American mothers were remarried, the rest continued in financial distress. (McLanahan-Garfinkel)
So don’t close your eyes to the devastation caused by divorce. Build your marriage on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His word. Invest in your wife, invest in your husband and your heart will follow. Follow His ways, in life, and in your marriage.
Sex a Gift from God
Finally notice in Genesis 2:25 that God provided that The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. God very specifically tells us in Hebrews 13:4 that His plan for the marriage bed is for it to be undefiled. Sex inside of marriage is a gift from Him, and shame has no part in it. When you invest in your wife, when you invest in your husband, do so in all areas including your physical relationship. For God tells us in 1 Corinthians 7:4-5
References:
[Image via: Maria Rosaria – Creative Commons]
Blue Letter Bible
Bible Gateway
Jon Courson
The Atlantic
Single Mothers and Their Children, Sarah McLanahan and Irwin Garfinkel, 1986
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Posted on September 11, 2010 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis, Marriage
1 Corinthians 7:4, adultery, divorce, Genesis 2, Hebrews 13:4, In the same way the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife, marriage, marriage bed undefiled, marriage mother
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