Man, Woman, the Fall & the Church (Part 2 of 4)

Hello Friends!

Welcome back to part two of “Man, Woman, the Fall & the Church”

This week we’ll continue with our series pertaining to “The Fall from Grace” – beginning “from the beginning” in Genesis!

The Fall from Grace: Sin & Consequences

Ever since the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden – Original Sin – the serpent, Satan, deceived Eve with his deceitful cunning:

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” – Genesis 3:1

Here’s another question for all of us to consider today: “Am I really that bad?”

If you are like me, you’ve probably at least thought about this question – and with good reason! After all, we can always find a much worse offender in someone who has violated God’s standards to a degree we’ve never approached! The fact is, there is probably a long list of sins you and I have never committed… Never will and would never think to commit. Right?

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us – 1 John 1:8-10

But does God measure sin on a sliding scale? No! What are His expectations? Perfect Holiness! What are His requirements not just for our behavior but also our thoughts – whether or not we have ever acted on them? Jesus Christ and His Righteousness!

Those too are great questions and answers to ponder as we consider “The Fall from Grace: Sin & Consequences”

Of course Jesus Christ is the One who conquers Satan in the end and He has already delivered a death blow to Satan on the cross. This spiritual war’s end is already determined – we just have a few more battles to fight. Jesus’ resurrection sealed the devil’s fate. This was all prophesied in the third chapter of our Bible!

In fact, it is here we find the very FIRST Prophecy found in the Scriptures! God promises Satan that a Child – a “Seed” – would come to “bruise” the head of Satan:

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel – Genesis 3:15   

The entire Old Testament is filled with stories of a people eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Redeemer to save them from their greatest enemy – the devil.

The Bible describes in detail for us in the book of Romans an internal struggle that all Christians must face. While we want to do good, we fight a “sin” war with our “flesh” because of our fallen desires in our “members” – our “body of death” – yet to be glorified. This is an extremely important distinction in understanding the “sin” nature of the believer!

Even the Apostle Paul – who wrote half of the New Testament – struggled with his own sinful “flesh” and provides for us a masterful explanation of our “sin” battle:

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin – Romans 7:14-25

The Lord’s Word is perfect and will not return void! Jesus Christ will one day return to crush all rebellion of this cursed world, the flesh and the devil – to restore God’s perfect design. Until then, we too must continue to fight our fallen “flesh” and seek to honor the Lord Jesus with our lives by “faith” and “obedience” to His Word through a repentant heart and the sharing of the Gospel to a lost and dying world. This is the Christian mandate!     

In closing:

To continue your own personal journey through God’s Word pertaining to “The Fall from Grace: Sin & Consequences,” please consider these few foundational Scriptures as well as Genesis chapter 3 and the resulting “Curses” that are the foundation for all “sin,” “disobedience” & “rebellion” against the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word…

casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ – 2 Corinthians 10:5

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s edition as we investigate The Great Women of the Bible from various Old and New Testament Scriptures to better understand the Lord’s perspective concerning His original intent for humanity… Man and Woman.

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

 

Blessings!

Shane <><

Benchmarking

13 So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the Lord made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts; 14 they invaded all Egypt and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again. 15 They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.  Exodus 10

Around 20 years ago, I was living in Texas and came up to Monroe to visit family over the summer.  My trip put me right in the middle of fish fly season.  That year was particularly horrible.  I remember that banks and car dealerships were hit the worst (because they were so well lit at night).  Any place that had a light on it at night would be covered an inch or more thick in fish flies come morning.  Ick!  And yes, it smelled quite atrocious, too.

I had never seen anything like that before in my life.  I was in awe that my family, and everyone else local to the area, thought this was just "worse than normal."  It wasn't out of the ordinary to have bugs descend on the town like they did, but just out of the ordinary that there were so many.  The magnitude of the situation made a much bigger impression on me than it did those who lived in the area, because I had never seen anything like it before.

Now, just last winter, the Michigan area (and many others) got hammered.  Snowmageddon.  I live just outside of Toledo and we hit record snowfalls, and the record for most snow in one season with over a hundred inches.  However, now I was one of the locals.  I was used to heavy snowfall, so the event didn't have the same impact on me as it would have had on someone who had never seen snow before.  Years from now (or just this upcoming winter if the predictions are true), I'll probably use it as a benchmark to compare future winters.  But I won't spend more time thinking on the magnitude of it all.

In Egypt, they had plague after plague hit them.  This chapter describes the locusts and darkness plagues.  The Egyptians had seen locusts before, and surely they had seen darkness at night.  But these were extreme situations.  Everything was covered in locusts, and everything that could be eaten was eaten by the locusts.  They were absolutely destructive on what remained.  As for the darkness, have you ever noticed how much darker it is in your house when the power goes out and there's absolutely no light?  That's what they experienced, for three days!

These are all out of the ordinary situations, but they were directly from God.  More importantly, throughout the later chapters, the Israelites are called to remember these events and to tell their children about them.  It's not as a benchmarking tool, "Hey, the locusts this season aren't as bad as they were that time before we left Egypt!"  It's to remember the locusts (and other plagues) were sent by God, and God removed and saved the Israelites.  

When things happen out of the ordinary for you, take the time to ask yourself: Is this just an abnormal event, or is this something directly from God?  Is it something so profound that he had to make a big statement to me to make me remember his power and glory, and remember this day?

Thursday Devotional - Visual and Verbal Variety

Are you more of a visual or verbal learner? For the most part, I’m a verbal (or auditory-sequential) learner and Joe is a visual/spatial learner. We will experience, see, hear or read the same thing and remember different aspects of it.

What kind of learners were the disciples or the women who went to the empty tomb? I’m guessing there were some of both. God took care to cover both types! Not only did God send an angel to sit on the stone to visibly confirm that the empty tomb and violent earthquake were God’s doing (as we saw last week), but God had the angel also verbally confirm this truth.
Matthew 28:5-7          ⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

God reminded the women and the disciples (and us today) that all this happened just as planned and just as Jesus said! God offered the proof visually and verbally.

God teaches us today both visually and verbally. We can visually read His Word and verbally hear it taught. We can visually see His hand in creation around us and verbally interact with Him in prayer. Through His Word He gives us the big picture (spatial) of His redemptive plan for the whole world and He also gives us specific practical details (sequential) for everyday life.

God does not have just one way of teaching.
He is the ultimate creative teacher with unlimited variety!
How has God used various ways to teach you His truths?

Alice

Speaking to the Enemy

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’  But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.  And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”  Matthew 5:38-42

I had someone in my life that one might call an 'enemy.'  As in most cases, this person is someone who you befriend and do all you can to help them.  Then at some point, they do something that is not at all like a friend.  Being honest, there are times it still bothers me. To  give so much only to have them tear you down behind your back is disheartening.  There has never been an opportunity for me to say anything to them since finding out this was happening, but if it does, what would I say?  More importantly, what should I say?

God’s gift of grace is a shining example of how we are to give grace to others.  When I read these verses as a young child, I took it to mean to avoid fighting when possible.  Today, I realize that was a narrow view of them.  Jesus’ point here is for us to be bigger than the transgressions against us.  It is about showing the face of God to one who may have never seen what true grace is. Thus when the pain seems unbearable or anger is greater than we can handle, Jesus encourages us through His teachings that we can indeed be above all of it.

Jesus always speaks the truth!  When the moment of conflict comes and every fiber in us says to react with either anger or vengeance, focus on Jesus for guidance.  Not only will He give you peace but He will also give you the victory in the end for as He teaches us in prayer:

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:12)

What emotional scar can you give to God today?  Who can you show grace toward as God has to you?  My prayer is that we can trust Jesus to take away pain and replace it with His love when speaking to the enemy.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Night and Day

Hello,

Think of the common sayings which try to communicate things that are opposite. Two of the most common are “night and day” and “black and white”. The starkness of these leaves no room for moving one to the other or having belonging to both – they are opposite from one another. John uses this comparative when talking about Jesus.

John 1:3-5 “All things came into being by Him and apart from Him nothing came into being that come into being. In His was life, and the life was the light of men. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (NASB)

It struck me talking about this with some other folks this last week how this opposite of light and darkness is not just reflective of our need for Christ, but that as believers when we sin it is direct/full/polar opposite to His nature and all that is Him. We need to remember this in the middle of decision making, but also as we seek Him to restore the fellowship when we sin. It should motivate us to do it faster and make sure that our seeking of forgiveness is not ritual/mechanical but true and sincere because of His nature.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill