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Monday, October 31, 2011

They are different

So the serpent did his work! He was able to get Eve to doubt, wonder...if the word of God was true. She looked at the tree, pondered, it seems good...looked good and will make me wise(let me include the word happy). So she ate and he ate, Adam. That's how it all started for mankind. You know even today we fall for the same trickery...We even do the same things in evaluating...or sometimes we just do without evaluating. We see people who are living a life that isn't right...or doing wrong practices...questionable dealings...drinking....or whatever it might be. But it seems that they are happy...and nothing is happening to them...It may even seem that they are "blessed". So many times when we think of these things we take it to the extremes, we over look the little things that are wrongful...and we think as long as I'm not doing it like so and so or like that degree...
In our text it said that they ate(was it a bite, a taste, a whole apple, how about an apple pie) and their eyes were open. Look at what they first noticed? Nakedness. So they covered themselves. Before they were able to walk around naked, both of them being content... nothing of bad intentions. Now their nakedness brings on a whole different reaction or reactions. That is the reaction of shame. Shame of the difference in their bodies...Not only that the shame at how they probably now are looking at each other's body. Let's face it guys here we would definitely have a hard time. Now this effect of our body difference still comes into play even today. But let's not only see the body difference but there is also that difference in the way we act. That is the male____, "ego", thinking...and the female____, "ego", thinking.... Let's face it we are different! So men we need to understand that! We need to live with our wives in an understanding way. Guess what that means? We need to learn, we need to study...our wives. What are their needs, wants, desires, likes, dislikes and... Just like us men are different from each other our wives are also different from each other. So we as men need to understand his own wife! 1Peter3:7 "Likewise husbands , live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the women as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered."

Monday, October 24, 2011

The first stunt

What I would like to do is to continue in Gen. 3. Last week we talked about our wives being a blessing...suitable, using Gen 2:18-24. In this section we have the temptation to eat "The Apple". Some even refer to it as the fall of man. Gen.3:1-5. "Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the women, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?" The women said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'" The serpent said to the women, "You surely shall not die! "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Alright guys I know that this section is about Eve, but there is a lesson here for us also. Have you ever trusted someone or even something only to be hurt...disappointed...? A friend says they will do something...they forget or fail. You buy something that was to do this and that...and guess what it doesn't. Have you ever trusted advise that was just bad? Now with some of these things there could be some let's say innocence. That is that friend tried his best...But there is those that are just misleading or things that are also misleading. Now there is a word mentioned in verse 5 that we need to recognize, "crafty". Words that help us understand this are skillful, clever, cunning, guileful, trickery and deceitful. Did you catch that last word. One must remember that this serpent was deceitful but he also was clever, skillful...
Here is where Satan does his first recorded "stunt" to mankind. That is to take what is true and to twist it. To miss quote it, of what was said or written. To put a new meaning on what was written or to cast doubt on what was written. He is trying to get you/me to believe him! Trying to get us from believing the real truth of the bible, of God, of Jesus Christ. Recognize the deceit and don't believe the lie. If it does not line up with God's word, the bible; then question it...

Monday, October 17, 2011

Helper

As men what are some of the things we struggle with? What do we need encouragement in? None of us are without our struggles. Some struggle with this and some with that. One might think that one thing is a struggle, while someone else might think it is not. Another way to put it is what temptations are tempting you...or even what should you be doing, that you have a hard time doing.
In Gen. 2:18"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone', I will make a helper suitable for him." Now this devotional will be more directed toward the married men, but it is also important for you unmarried to learn for maybe the future. As men here is the first need(physical)... that is mentioned in the bible. One side note, I understand not everyone needs to get married...The Apostle Paul addresses this in 1Cor.7:25-38. It is not good for man to be alone. Isn't that true? Think about it. Being alone not talking to anyone, no texting...Talking to oneself...not good! Verses 19-20 are about God forming every beast of the field and bird of the sky...and bringing them before Adam to be named. And verse 20 ends saying this, "but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him."
God made a bunch of animals...and guess what? They did not fill the need that Adam had. Have you ever heard that a dog is man's best friend? What a lie. But sometimes animals seem to take the place of that need man has. But guess what, it doesn't. So Adam has this need, it isn't satisfied with animals so God formed or made women. Verses 21-23. Now guys I'm going to cut this short. Do you realize that your wife is a gift of God? That she is suitable for you? That she is the helper you needed? That God made her special for you? So many times we miss how blessed of God we are that He gave us our wives, how special they are as a person. A person that we get to share life with...to talk with, laugh with, play with...they are not only there to take care of the home...Oh they are so much more. So men, when was the last time you did something special for your wife? To show her that you love her...do you lift her up(praise her)...

Monday, October 10, 2011

A guide

What a stretch of nice weather! Summer still lingers on for a little while but fall and winter are on the way! For where we live it is easy to notice the change of seasons. All we have to do is look at the trees; what colors...in a little while the trees will be without leaves, flowers also giving way for the colder season and birds will be going south. All this gives us signs of winter coming.
In life we have many signs that help us. Signs for what road we are on, signs telling us to slow down, signs that indicate danger, signs showing us where things are...but in life you will not see signs telling you how to walk...in most of life's decisions. In fact some signs may not be wise to follow. Also some advise may not always be wise to follow. So how do we know what will help us in our Christian walk? Well we have the "book", the bible. Have you ever heard it as a road map? You see the bible gives us the foundation of how to live...Yes there are a lot of do's and don'ts. Some may say I'm being legalistic...but obeying God's word is the right way to go.
As I was thinking of this, is it that bad to follow God's word in the acceptable things. That is what our nation...sees as right. For instance thou shall not steal. Yes, we should obey that! Retail stores agree with this ...but even that basic biblical principle comes under fire... sometimes.
As believers we need to read God's word. We need to believe it is true, right...that it will guide us as we go through life. There is a lot of bad advice out there and even just bad ways of doing things that seems acceptable. One needs to read God's word to help us filter through all the signs, advice...that are telling us how to walk. So that we can walk the right way, God's way. We here of this verse often, we sing songs about this verse, do we believe what this verse says? Do we do what it implies? Ps 119:105 "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

Monday, October 3, 2011

Wrap up

As we wrap up our series on the prodigal son, I will make some comments...First let us go back to the beginning. By this I mean, let us talk about why this parable was told by our Lord Jesus. We did not go over this in our study yet. To answer this question we need to go back to the beginning of Luke 15:1-3 "Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So He told them this parable, saying." If we read all the way down to the end of the chapter it seems that He told them three parables in a row.
As with the parable of the prodigal son, there are three groups of people. The first being tax collectors and sinners, the second being Jesus and the third being the Pharisees and scribes. Each of these three groups are represented in our parable. The tax collectors and sinners are represented by the younger son. Jesus is represented by the Father. The Pharisees and scribes are represented by the older son. O.K. this is what I learned from studying different commentaries.
Now isn't it a wonderful thing when sinners, come near to listen to word of God? Yes, it is. Rom. 10:14 "How then will they call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" And even how more wonderful when one comes to his senses, believing...in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. It is wonderful for me, it is wonderful for you and it is going to be wonderful for all sinners that God redeems. Let's face it, how "ugly" were we before salvation, or how "ugly" would we be if Christ didn't reach out to us and saved us? Sin is sin and it is "ugly".
Now as to Jesus and the Father; let's keep it simple God in three persons, but one. As to the Pharisees and scribes, represented by the older son. The two of them grumbled about people coming to Jesus Christ. As we believer's, become older...sometimes we also can grumble about people coming to know Jesus...You see it is easy for us to forget we were saved by grace...that the mercy of God reached down...Saved us from our "ugly" self. And instead we start to look for works...to prove ones acceptance into the kingdom of God. We even do that to ourselves...but works don't save, works don't even keep you in the kingdom of God, only the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ can do that. Now faith without works does come into play...
We looked at this parable in a different way, trying to understand each character, and to see if we can identify with each. We all were like the younger son and even now sometimes we still act like him in areas of our life or in our Christian walk. Now we also can identify with the older son, works, devotion...and maybe even scorning the work of our Lord Jesus in calling sinners to Himself. Now as the father can we also be loving, forgiving...showing mercy...when we see the so called "ugly" of people. Telling of the good news... Being excited about people hearing the good news... Let's be real hear, the "ugly" shows up a lot; not just in others but even in ourselves. We need the love of the Father forever! We need to be also showing the love of the Father as we go through our life. You see the Christian life starts from being "ugly" without God...to believing...on Jesus, God. Now that "ugly" starts to change; but it still shows up. We need to confess, our "ugly" just like we did at the beginning of our Christian walk. Just as we want Jesus to forgive us of our "ugly" so also let us be willing to forgive others of their "ugly". It's a life time thing!