It always amazes me what people, including myself at times, hold near and dear to their hearts and lives. Sometimes you don't even know how much or what you have until you decide to move to another location. All of the sudden, you are overwhelmed by the amount of junk we hung onto and thought that it was worth keeping, even though you haven't seen it in months or even years. The funny thing is, we keep hanging onto it even after we ask ourselves why we kept it. Sometimes we hold onto memories whether they be good ones or bad ones thinking that if we let go we would miss out on something or someone. There's nothing wrong with having memories unless of course they are consuming your life. And there is nothing wrong with keeping possessions, unless they too are consuming your life. I read a scripture that says that "for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also," Matthew 6:21. It's hard to let go of things that control our lives, whether they be material goods, emotional and sentimental memories, experiences that helped shape us into who we are today, etc. The word of God teaches us to be content no matter where we are in life. There was a couple in the bible that just couldn't be content with what they had and ended up on the losing end of things.
Adam and Eve were placed in paradise, the perfect garden, Genesis 2:8. They were given responsibility over the earth and everything that walked, crawled or flew, Genesis 1:26b. These two had it made, they were to care for a perfect garden, how hard can that be? They had the authority to do what they wanted with it. This would be what we today are always striving for, that perfect place where there are no problems of any kind, paradise we only can only dream of right now. You would think that nothing could disrupt this perfect world. Nothing could interfere with there utopia world. Well, there was this snake, a talking snake at that and it approached Eve one day. But, remember now, who has the dominion or authority over the earth and everything in it? Adam and Eve did, what they say goes or what they decide to do is in their power. So, this talking snake, Genesis 3:1 approaches Eve and starts offering something that ended up creating discontent in them. The snake began to make it sound like God was holding something back from them causing Adam and Eve to begin to doubt God, Genesis 3:1-6. So, these two humans that God created felt in their heart that they wanted to strike out on their own, and have more than what they already had. They listened to the serpent's deceit thinking God was holding back, not realizing they already had everything for a perfect life. There wasn't anything more that would make their life better. They had it all, they had the power of God at their disposal and the authority to use it. But, they soon found out that their life was about to change drastically because they thought there was more. They listened to a lie and instead of having life easy and fulfilling, they chose to disobey God and reach for that one little tidbit more. Just one more thing that they thought would bring them more happiness, more power, more authority and see things they did not need to see.
Satan convinced Adam and Eve to be dissatisfied with what they had. Just like Adam and Eve we are being faced with the same temptation's today. Satan convinces us that their is just one more little tidbit that God is holding out on. So instead of listening to the Holy Spirit of God, we hear that talking snake whisper in our ears, reach for it, you will be much happier, you will look so much better if you had this in your life, you'll experience such satisfaction if you try this, and on and on it goes. That whisper that the snake did thousands of years ago is still whispering in people ears, "did God really say," Genesis 3:3. You don't think that Satan can't deceive you if you aren't truly grounded in God's Word? Think about this for a moment, Satan convinced Adam and Eve to be discontent while they were in the middle of paradise. This old serpent is sneaky, full of lies and deceit, he knows all the tricks to play to convince you that that one little tidbit more will be worth it.
We live in a fallen world ever since Eve listened to that snake. How much further has this world fallen since the original fall took place? How much easier it is for the serpent to offer his lies nowadays than it was in that perfect place. The scriptures tell us that man's heart is nothing but evil, Genesis 6:5. In the New Testament we find God telling us through His Apostles that God has already provided a way for mankind to be reconciled back into relationship with Him. He had already determined that man was going to need to be saved and that there would be only one way for that reconciliation to happen and that was through a blood sacrifice. A sacrifice that would have to be done not only by a human, but a perfect human and that would end up being God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. John 3:16 brings to pass what God said in Genesis 3:14-15.
At one time man was perfect and he was created to live forever. He had everything he would ever need to sustain him, including the very presence of God in their lives. That perfection was marred because mankind wanted just a little bit more. The problem was that to have that little bit more cost them eternal life and that little bit more was a lie from the pit of hell itself. You see, you cannot perfect that which is perfect, you cannot fill that which is already full. That little tidbit more, it wasn't more at all, it was less than what they already had.
The world today is constantly whispering in your ear, reach out, take it, it's good for you, it will bring you peace and happiness. Go ahead and tell that lie and you'll get ahead in life much faster, after all didn't God say you can eat of every tree. So, we reach out, take that pill, smoke that dope, cuss out your kids and be angry at them, they'll learn better that way. After all, your wife/husband doesn't really love you, so it's okay to have a quick little affair, what she/he doesn't know won't hurt her/him. Do you see where this leads, one pill leads to another, then something stronger, one affair leads to another, one lie leads to many lies. I could keep going on, but you get the picture, you don't live in a perfect world and that imperfect world wants you to be just like it. One more morsel the snake says, nobody will know, it won't hurt you, God didn't really mean it when He said you will surely die.
If you find yourself falling for the serpents lie's then I want you to know that God provided a way for you. You must first realize that there is no one perfect, Romans 3:10 says that "that as it is written: there is no one righteous, not even one." You cannot earn you way back to God by being good or doing good things, Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds of this, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." You cannot escape the fact that you are a sinner, because no one could ever or ever will live up to God's standard, Romans 3:23 tells us that "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." The only remedy for sin is the sacrifice of God's son, and whether or not you believe in who He is and what He did for you, John 3:16, John 3:36 says; Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.
Adam and Eve were placed in paradise, the perfect garden, Genesis 2:8. They were given responsibility over the earth and everything that walked, crawled or flew, Genesis 1:26b. These two had it made, they were to care for a perfect garden, how hard can that be? They had the authority to do what they wanted with it. This would be what we today are always striving for, that perfect place where there are no problems of any kind, paradise we only can only dream of right now. You would think that nothing could disrupt this perfect world. Nothing could interfere with there utopia world. Well, there was this snake, a talking snake at that and it approached Eve one day. But, remember now, who has the dominion or authority over the earth and everything in it? Adam and Eve did, what they say goes or what they decide to do is in their power. So, this talking snake, Genesis 3:1 approaches Eve and starts offering something that ended up creating discontent in them. The snake began to make it sound like God was holding something back from them causing Adam and Eve to begin to doubt God, Genesis 3:1-6. So, these two humans that God created felt in their heart that they wanted to strike out on their own, and have more than what they already had. They listened to the serpent's deceit thinking God was holding back, not realizing they already had everything for a perfect life. There wasn't anything more that would make their life better. They had it all, they had the power of God at their disposal and the authority to use it. But, they soon found out that their life was about to change drastically because they thought there was more. They listened to a lie and instead of having life easy and fulfilling, they chose to disobey God and reach for that one little tidbit more. Just one more thing that they thought would bring them more happiness, more power, more authority and see things they did not need to see.
Satan convinced Adam and Eve to be dissatisfied with what they had. Just like Adam and Eve we are being faced with the same temptation's today. Satan convinces us that their is just one more little tidbit that God is holding out on. So instead of listening to the Holy Spirit of God, we hear that talking snake whisper in our ears, reach for it, you will be much happier, you will look so much better if you had this in your life, you'll experience such satisfaction if you try this, and on and on it goes. That whisper that the snake did thousands of years ago is still whispering in people ears, "did God really say," Genesis 3:3. You don't think that Satan can't deceive you if you aren't truly grounded in God's Word? Think about this for a moment, Satan convinced Adam and Eve to be discontent while they were in the middle of paradise. This old serpent is sneaky, full of lies and deceit, he knows all the tricks to play to convince you that that one little tidbit more will be worth it.
We live in a fallen world ever since Eve listened to that snake. How much further has this world fallen since the original fall took place? How much easier it is for the serpent to offer his lies nowadays than it was in that perfect place. The scriptures tell us that man's heart is nothing but evil, Genesis 6:5. In the New Testament we find God telling us through His Apostles that God has already provided a way for mankind to be reconciled back into relationship with Him. He had already determined that man was going to need to be saved and that there would be only one way for that reconciliation to happen and that was through a blood sacrifice. A sacrifice that would have to be done not only by a human, but a perfect human and that would end up being God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. John 3:16 brings to pass what God said in Genesis 3:14-15.
At one time man was perfect and he was created to live forever. He had everything he would ever need to sustain him, including the very presence of God in their lives. That perfection was marred because mankind wanted just a little bit more. The problem was that to have that little bit more cost them eternal life and that little bit more was a lie from the pit of hell itself. You see, you cannot perfect that which is perfect, you cannot fill that which is already full. That little tidbit more, it wasn't more at all, it was less than what they already had.
The world today is constantly whispering in your ear, reach out, take it, it's good for you, it will bring you peace and happiness. Go ahead and tell that lie and you'll get ahead in life much faster, after all didn't God say you can eat of every tree. So, we reach out, take that pill, smoke that dope, cuss out your kids and be angry at them, they'll learn better that way. After all, your wife/husband doesn't really love you, so it's okay to have a quick little affair, what she/he doesn't know won't hurt her/him. Do you see where this leads, one pill leads to another, then something stronger, one affair leads to another, one lie leads to many lies. I could keep going on, but you get the picture, you don't live in a perfect world and that imperfect world wants you to be just like it. One more morsel the snake says, nobody will know, it won't hurt you, God didn't really mean it when He said you will surely die.
If you find yourself falling for the serpents lie's then I want you to know that God provided a way for you. You must first realize that there is no one perfect, Romans 3:10 says that "that as it is written: there is no one righteous, not even one." You cannot earn you way back to God by being good or doing good things, Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds of this, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." You cannot escape the fact that you are a sinner, because no one could ever or ever will live up to God's standard, Romans 3:23 tells us that "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." The only remedy for sin is the sacrifice of God's son, and whether or not you believe in who He is and what He did for you, John 3:16, John 3:36 says; Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.
Well, there it is, Gods offer of salvation, and just like Adam and Eve you have a choice, follow Gods instructions and leave the fruit of the world alone by believing in His Son, or reach out and take that one little morsel more. Everything the world offers you for peace, joy, satisfaction, and even love is destructive and will never fill the void in you that only God can fill. The world's offer is only temporary, it lasts as long as that next fix, next pill, next sex partner, that one more material thing, all of which fades away and leaves you wanting more, dissatisfied, hungry for something bigger and better. Why not try Gods way; "Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty," John 6:35.
Yes, we accumulate a lot of junk in our lives, not just material junk, but we accumulate a lot of worldly junk, things that won't last or satisfy our hunger. The hunger that every human heart has is the hunger for God and a return to relationship with Him. You have that choice just like Adam and Eve, accept God's offer of love and play by His rules or reach out for that one more small morsel that will ultimately lead to death. How much junk have you reached out for? The choice is yours.
If you are tired of your life as it is then you can make a change right now. You must as the scriptures say, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved," Acts 16:31. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved," Romans 10:9. We must accept the fact that He not only died for our sins, but He (Christ) was buried and on the third day rose again so that we have hope of eternal life with the Father. I hope you will make the right choice.
