Walking to Crawling!

“Then the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live.” (Genesis 3:14 NLT)

The curses that fell upon the serpent for manipulating the woman–Eve!

The chain reaction to obedience can be devastating for a number of people–people who often experience the effects of what others have done. This is what happened to the “snake” who dared to interfere with God’s plan for mankind.

Back-tracking a bit–Adam did nothing to help his own case in the disobedience by blaming God for giving him the woman in the first place. And then Eve–who shouldn’t have listened to the serpent in the first place, blamed the serpent rather than accepting responsibility for her role in the fiasco. The serpent “Satan” in disguise had absolutely nothing to say because he knew what he was doing and had succeeded. Now, he had to deal with the consequences of his behavior–this is something he had not considered–what happens to him when he’s found guilty!

Because of what God said to the serpent, we can infer that before the curse–he (the serpent) was walking upright–standing tall among all the other animals. In this state–walking, standing tall–he probably felt superior to some of the other animals as well. Again, this is inference on my part based upon what was said, “more cursed than all the animals, domestic and wild.”

Imagine that! Feelings of superiority and hatred for God has created leading to a fall–from being on top of the world to crawling on one’s belly, trying to avoid being wiped out by those who now stand over you.

We have seen examples of Satan’s influence in the lives of many that are a matter of public record–those who thought they were superior to others and acted out of hatred and that feeling of superior–most of them are no longer with us–having receive their just reward for their actions. The first person who comes to mind is Hitler, and now we can see what is happening to others in their quest to reign over all mankind. “The wages of sin is death.”

There are others–who because of their feelings of superiority–who will find themselves crawling on their bellies, trying to avoid being wiped out by those they attempted to destroy. God is–the same today as He was yesterday, and will be tomorrow-intolerant of disobedience to Him when people try to destroy His plans for mankind.

But just like He did not destroy the serpent (and He could have), He chose to leave the serpent to suffer the consequences of his actions for all generations. God’s Word is true–mankind (men and women) who might fear snakes, have no fear in killing them.

Amazing! When God could have destroyed His creation (the serpent), He didn’t and would have been justified in doing so. Now, if God didn’t destroy the serpent who caused all the uproar in the Garden of Eden, why are people so willing to think that God destroys people? People make choices and their choices will either bring about a positive consequence or a negative one. It is our choice.

Listen to The Lord and obey always and don’t worry about going from walking to crawling for all the world to see!

Advertisement

God’s Voice Should Be Louder!

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1

Satan (as depicted by the serpent in this segment of scripture) will always attempt to undermine God’s word. He did it in Genesis–influencing Eve’s thoughts about the fruit of the tree; he did it with Jesus, trying to tempt The Word with the Word of God right after Jesus had fasted for 40 days), and he’s yet doing it with the people of God and those who deny Him.

He uses subtlety and half-truths to convince those who acknowledge God and then he blatantly lies to those who deny God.

How does he get away with it? Too many people who know God are not speaking loud enough to drown Satan’s lies with Truth! Too many who know God are not actively trying to counter the lies that Satan spreads. Unfortunately, too many who claim to know God have also fallen under the spell of the master of deception’s ploy to deceive. When people attempt to be God and choose to live outside of Godly principles, then we know Satan has deceived–“even those whom God has chosen” to do His bidding.

Know God and don’t be ashamed to proclaim His Goodness from the Rooftops and the Valleys and all points in between. Our God Reigns! And it’s time for us to put Satan in His place–back under our feet so he cannot be heard!Remember–in the end–We–the people of God–Win!

Lord Jesus, give us the courage to be bolder than Satan in spreading the Good News–about salvation, repentance, forgiveness, Your Grace and Mercy, and ever enduring Love. We thank You for hearing and responding to our requests so that only You may get the glory in the lives we live!

One In Purpose!

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Although there are four commonly known versions of the life of Jesus, I wish I had the time to fully expound on John’s Gospel–his personal insight that brings me to new understanding every time I read it.

Before I can even begin to explain what I have been inspired to write, I must go back to the beginning.  If we are to truly understand anything about life, we must understand the origins–the beginning of those things that we later say are “history.” John reveals who Jesus is and that God and He are one and the same, in purpose from the first verse.  “In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God and The Word was God.” What is the beginning that John references?  When God created all things that were created, The Word–Jesus–was with Him.  How do we know?  In the first chapter of Genesis in verses one through twenty-five, when God was speaking everything into existence, He said, “let there be” and it was. In verse twenty-six, He says, “Let us make man in our image” and they did.

Since God is a spirit, Jesus became the flesh of the implantation of the Spirit and lived among us. Glory to God! The Spirit of God, implanted in the virgin so that man’s seed would not have any corruptible influence on God’s plans to redeem–Jesus is God in the flesh. However, because He understands our inability to sometimes see clearly what He does, He references Jesus as His Son and rightfully so. Jesus, who from the beginning knew what His role in life was to be, called God “Father” and rightfully so. Since Jesus is the Son, and we are adopted into the family when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, Jesus is our “elder brother” because we are all now sons and daughters. I wish I could dwell here, but I can not, there’s too much more to be said.

When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He sent back His Spirit–as promised–to comfort us, teach us, guide us and remind us what The Word said and did.

Three distinctive roles–the Divinity–God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit with the same purpose: The Father created us to have a relationship with Him, the Son restored us after the relationship was broken, and the Holy Spirit sustains us in keeping a right relationship with Him, to give us opportunity to have abundant life, share the gospel with others so all might be saved, and to have access into heaven as our eternal resting place.

Since this understanding as been revealed to many–either by the Holy Spirit–or by reading books written by man who received the revelation, there is no need for me to attempt to further explain.  I suggest, reading the Gospel of John with eyes opened by the Holy Spirit, heart ready to receive what is revealed, and a mind made up to serve Him.  Like them, we should all be–one in purpose! Life with Jesus is about relationship, not religion.

Mirror Mirror!

What do you see when you look in the mirror?  Do you see what God sees?  Do you see the fearfully and wonderfully made creation He sees, the reflection of His image?  When God made all things, including you and me, He looked back at His creations and saw, ” it was very good” (Genesis 1:31 NIV)!  Now, take another look in the mirror.  No matter how you see yourself, start looking for “the very good” that God has already put in you and flow with it!