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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: AS EASY AS PIE (12/01/16)
It’s Not Like That Now
It’s a long story, but one that must be told. Why must this story be told? Should anyone really care? I think people should care, but a quick look at today’s world will prove me wrong.
Have you watched the news lately? Did you read the story about the 15-year-old teenager (not man), named Matthew, who allegedly decided that one of his classmates, Lee, didn’t need to live anymore? According to the authorities of Lawrence Massachusetts, Matthew went to Lee’s house one evening and invited Lee to go for a walk down by the riverbank. While the young teens were strolling along the river, Matthew allegedly attacked and stabbed Lee to death, in cold blood. But it’s alleged that Matthew didn’t stop there, he decapitated his prey and left the head lying about fifty feet from Lee’s dead body.
If Matthew did this despicable, brutal crime, as it is said, just what was he thinking? Most would say that Matthew wasn’t thinking. I’m not sure Matthew really cared. If Matthew is guilty of this crime, do you think he has ever heard the “long story”?
The story I’m talking about happened a long, long time ago. In the beginning, God created a man and a woman. God desired great things for this man and woman. God gave this couple a free will and set them in a beautiful garden where they had plenty to eat. This couple didn’t have anything to worry about, not even a guilty conscience. God gave this couple one guideline, don’t eat from the tree in the middle of the garden.
For some reason, God didn’t inform this couple of the looming daredevil. One day, the woman was out gathering some food for dinner when along came a talking snake. The snake hated God because God had put him in his place. The snake was looking for a way to get even with God, so the snake asked the woman if God really told her that she couldn’t eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. The woman reassured the snake that God really did tell her and her husband that they needed to leave the tree alone. Yet, the snake made a convincing argument and the woman ate some of the fruit from the tree. The woman enjoyed the fruit so much that she offered some of the same fruit to her husband which he gladly ate too. Immediately, the couple knew they were guilty.
God enjoyed his new friends, so much so, He would visit his friends and go for walks in the garden with them. One day, God came to visit his friends and go for one of their walks, but His friends were hiding from Him. God was disappointed when He found them. God asked His friends why they were hiding from Him and they said that they were naked, and afraid.
The couple had every right to be afraid because they knew they had made a big mistake. God called their mistake a “sin.” That sin condemned them to hell with no way out.
But God had a plan. God asked His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to leave the throne and go pay the penalty for Their friends’ sin by dying a brutal death. That death involved crucifixion on a cross. Jesus didn’t want to do the task, even asking God if there was any other way for the sin to be paid for. God assured Jesus that His death on that cross was the only way. Why was it that Jesus Christ had to die for their sin? Because He never sinned. It’s a “right” making a “wrong” right.
Now. It wouldn’t be fair if God let one man and woman perish for their sin because the attitude behind the sin was passed down from generation to generation. Every man, woman, and child, had to be branded “sinners.” But it doesn’t have to be that way now. There are five things that a person can do in order to be free from sin and right with God: believe that they are sinners; believe that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for their sin; repent, turning away from their sin; confess their sin; ask God for forgiveness. With that in mind, it’s AS EASY AS PIE.
December 6, 2016
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Larry Whittington
12/09/16
One other insight into God's plan that would cause some people to say that it isn't always "AS EASY AS PIE" is because of God's requirement to "live faithfully till death". Many people fail in their walk with God because of the cares of this life and "GIVE UP".

Our example of being faithful should be an encouragement to others to remain faithful to fulfill their desire to remain true to Jesus, the Christ.
Jan Ackerson
12/09/16
It would be easier on the eyes if you adjust the formatting so that we're not reading a large block of text. This can be done in the 'submissions' window, by manually entering spaces between paragraphs.

I found it difficult to determine a connection between the horrific murder in the first few paragraphs and the retold story of Genesis in the second section--and the topic of 'easy as pie' seemed to be somewhat of an afterthought.

Since the first part is very compelling reading and the Adam and Eve story is (presumably) familiar to most of the FaithWriters audience, I'd recommend that you expand on that, making your tie-in with biblical truth toward the end.
Bonnie Bowden 
12/15/16
Congratulations, John, on placing 3rd place in the Beginners category.

I agree with Jan's comments.

Keep writing. I found it helpful to read the Editors Choice winners each week to see what the judges are looking for in the story, poem, etc.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!