From the beginning of creation, Adam was created to be the enjoyment of his Lord and Creator. The only influence that he knew was the voice and the command of his King and Creator. The Lord God gave the responsibility to manage His creation to Adam, and when Adam became disobedient to His command, He called Him to account, not Eve. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Note that Adam knew the voice of the Lord God, for he was fine tuned to his Source and Creator. He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” Please notice that Adam (mankind) actually had an ongoing conversation with his Creator, one on one, even though it was after he had sinned. “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”
The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”
Sad but true, now comes the blame game. Blaming the woman, as if the Lord God gave the leadership to her. Keep in mind, the Lord God called out Adam when He addressed their disobedience. Why? Because Adam was given the responsibility of being in charge. She was to assist him. However the devil had deceived her to disobey their Creator. It was a simple command. The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” It was a command of simplicity. Simplicity means to have directness of expression; uncomplicated or uncompounded. To be obedient to the laws of the King is a priority in the Kingdom of the Lord God.
The Lord God honors obedience to His Word and principles, rather than sacrifices to cover up your disobedience. Read what He stated to King Saul through His representative Samuel: One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the Lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”...Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt. He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
Many would rather attend a religious service, give an offering and go home unchanged than give up their "pet" sin. There are people who believe they are in right standing with the Father who are living together without being married. Sexual relations outside of marriage is a sin, against God and against your body. They would rather keep enjoying the benefits, rather than be obedient to the Lord God's Constitution. They live as if there will be no consequences for their disobedience. That is a deception of the evil one. The simplicity of obedience is that you either are or you are not. There are no shades of gray, no excuses or debates. No need to explain all the reasons why you are still living together or why you lie, steal (even if it's office supplies from your job!) or gossip. The Lord Jesus made it plain while speaking to ambassador John on the Island Patmos. “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
You say "It's too hard! No one lives that way today." But you can, with effort and a made up mind. Anything worthwhile is worth the effort. Isn't He worth it? You say you love Him. Is obedience harder than His death on the cross?
When the Lord Jesus first came on out of the wilderness, His message was: “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. Nothing has changed. His message resonates through me and those who are obedient to His Word. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
There are so many so-called believers who hear and believe like King Saul. That a sacrifice of praise will substitute for their lack of obedience to His Word. They are being deceived. We don't know better than God. Remember what the Lord God spoke to King Saul:
“What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.”
Remember, the Old Testament represents His character--His laws and principles --and they never change.
Your faith in His unchanging Word is your foundation for eternity.
Genesis 3:8-9, 10-12 Genesis 2:15-17 I Samuel 15:1-3, 7-9
Revelation 21-6-8 Matthew 4:17, 23; 6:33-34 I Samuel 15:22-23 NLT
~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”
Sad but true, now comes the blame game. Blaming the woman, as if the Lord God gave the leadership to her. Keep in mind, the Lord God called out Adam when He addressed their disobedience. Why? Because Adam was given the responsibility of being in charge. She was to assist him. However the devil had deceived her to disobey their Creator. It was a simple command. The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” It was a command of simplicity. Simplicity means to have directness of expression; uncomplicated or uncompounded. To be obedient to the laws of the King is a priority in the Kingdom of the Lord God.
The Lord God honors obedience to His Word and principles, rather than sacrifices to cover up your disobedience. Read what He stated to King Saul through His representative Samuel: One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the Lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”...Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt. He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
Many would rather attend a religious service, give an offering and go home unchanged than give up their "pet" sin. There are people who believe they are in right standing with the Father who are living together without being married. Sexual relations outside of marriage is a sin, against God and against your body. They would rather keep enjoying the benefits, rather than be obedient to the Lord God's Constitution. They live as if there will be no consequences for their disobedience. That is a deception of the evil one. The simplicity of obedience is that you either are or you are not. There are no shades of gray, no excuses or debates. No need to explain all the reasons why you are still living together or why you lie, steal (even if it's office supplies from your job!) or gossip. The Lord Jesus made it plain while speaking to ambassador John on the Island Patmos. “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
You say "It's too hard! No one lives that way today." But you can, with effort and a made up mind. Anything worthwhile is worth the effort. Isn't He worth it? You say you love Him. Is obedience harder than His death on the cross?
When the Lord Jesus first came on out of the wilderness, His message was: “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. Nothing has changed. His message resonates through me and those who are obedient to His Word. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
There are so many so-called believers who hear and believe like King Saul. That a sacrifice of praise will substitute for their lack of obedience to His Word. They are being deceived. We don't know better than God. Remember what the Lord God spoke to King Saul:
“What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.”
Remember, the Old Testament represents His character--His laws and principles --and they never change.
Your faith in His unchanging Word is your foundation for eternity.
Genesis 3:8-9, 10-12 Genesis 2:15-17 I Samuel 15:1-3, 7-9
Revelation 21-6-8 Matthew 4:17, 23; 6:33-34 I Samuel 15:22-23 NLT
~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
