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Topic: Learning for Life (08/23/04)
TITLE: Learning how to live: Adam & Eve's early days in the garden By Scott Hicks 08/23/04 |
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walk. We often times concentrate on their failures or the fall. We blame them a lot. We often times say things like: "If Adam and Eve wouldn't have
eaten the forbidden fruit, then we would have it made." Does that quote
sound familiar to you? Have you said something like that before?
Yes, I believe that they failed etc... because the account is in the Word of God and He is trying to teach us something. At the same time I feel there are more lessons to be learned from the fall of man. God doesn't always want us to focus on the negative; there are also positive to be learned from Adam and Eve's life.
When I study the record of Adam and Eve in the spirit; I see some
positive lessons.
For example: Adam and Eve did not see how close they could get to the fruit
without "actually" eating it.
As seems to be the trend of today.
When Father God told you not to do certain things; and He places you in
the garden of your life; when Himself or no one is around watching you, what do you do?
Do you find yourself getting closer and closer to the tree when Father isn't around; just so you can take a look at the fruit that He didn't want you to eat? -- Do you see how close you can get to the fruit tree without actually eating it? --- Do you think of ways to use the fruit that wouldn't be "eating it"?
Do you contemplate thoughts and idea's such as: " I can smell the fruit, after all, that's not eating it." --- Or perhaps, "I can play a game with the fruit. --- Or even yet, " I can squeeze out the juice and drink it, because that is not eating the fruit, I am just drinking the juice. I'm not eating anything."
Do you spend your time trying to figure out why God doesn't want you to eat the fruit?
One of the things "we", as the body of Christ seem to do these days, is
create our own doctrines about "forbidden fruit". We use our minds and figure all the things that could result from eating forbidden fruit. Whenever we are told not to do something; that "something" becomes suspenseful to us. We often find ourselves getting closer and closer to it; just to see what the mystery is all about.|
We ask ourselves and each other, "why is this "fruit" so bad?" That is one of the reasons we have so many "denominations". Simply, because the Bible says something is forbidden and man will, get as close to the forbidden as he or she can, just to see what the problem is. Then lastly, doctrines are created in the heart and taught to others that were seen wondering around under the same forbidden fruit tree.
It is time to learn the life lessons that Adam and Eve didn't do these things that are stated above. All of the time that they were in the garden, they were content with God's directions, and therefore didn't pay the fruit any attention.
It was the serpent that came sneaking around and pointed out that the fruit was good to the sight
and good for food, etc....
These days, it's like the kingdom
of darkness doesn't even need the serpent to sneak around and reveal to us that the fruit looks good to the eyes and it's good for food.
--- NO, too many hear that the fruit is forbidden and we start hanging out
under it's shade, trying to find ways to use the fruit without actually eating it.
Simply stated, we need to follow Adam and Eve's lead and at least learn
from their early days in the garden and apply it to our lives.
When God says something; we must hear and obey.
It is hard to spit the fruit out; once you have taken a bite.
May we all, not always blame Adam and Eve, but learn from their wonderful communion with God in the early days of the Garden and "learn from their life"!