Who Told You That?

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It gives warnings.  I don’t like warnings, they are uncomfortable, but they are necessary.  What parent doesn’t warn their child?  God loves you, that’s why He warns you. It doesn’t matter if you want to hear it or not.  Genesis - the first three chapters tells of the wonderful world God created, and how quickly man screwed it up.  Genesis 3:11 – Who told you that you were naked?  Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?   “We heard you coming and we were afraid because we were naked.”  Do you welcome God’s presence, or hide from it?  Do you want to talk to him? Or avoid it?  What separates you from God?  Sin or deception.  Sin will always separate you from God.  It’s worse than the sin itself which is always bad, but the separation is worse.  Sin is never worth it.  A side lesson:  Who told you that?  What you say determines what you believe or will believe.  Whatever comes out of your mouth indicates what you believe, or are starting to believe.  What do you put your faith in?  What do you believe is true?  Who told you that?  If you disobey God’s commands, warnings or instructions – loss will occur.  If you think God is keeping something good from you – you just got duped by the devil.  Deception separates you from God, just like sin does, that’s why the devil does it.  Deception is often why people sin, it causes them to excuse it, believing something else.  God gives warnings for a reason.  Eve’s problem was she didn’t shut down the other voice – she entertained it.  Rather than telling him to shut up, and going to God with Adam, to upgrade the serpent they were given… to remove the offender from the garden, she ended up getting removed herself.  What is the serpent in your life right now?  Do you even notice?  Will you cut off its head, or listen to its lies? Either you banish it, or you will get banished.  The serpent came unawares.  She wasn’t prepared or ready.  What will you do when you hear a word other than God’s Word?  That disagrees with it, or calls it into question?  Do you have your armor on? Or did you leave the house again today armor-less?  Are you ready for the battle?  Will you take action, or allow yourself to be taken?  Praying that you will remove every ‘other voice’ influence in your life.  Whether a person, or a habit, or environment, your life depends on it!  Don’t play with fire, it will get out of control.  You will pay a price far more than you think, far more than it’s worth.  Praying that you will remove yourself from conversations with the serpent, that you will go back to God, and get someone to go with you.  You have no business talking to or engaging with deception.  It will never end well for you.  If it’s someone you love that has been deceived, plead the blood of Jesus over them, and ask God to help you speak the truth in love.  James 5:20 – whoever turns a sinner from the error of his ways, saves a soul from death, and covers over a multitude of sins.  Sometimes God will have you confront them in love – and tell them straight up, you’re wrong on this one, and here’s why.  I love you enough to tell you.  Other times it might just be a question God has you ask them, to jar them into reality, and awaken them from their naïve stupor.  That’s what Adam should have done, first eject the serpent from talking to his wife, and second, if she already fell, take her to God and beg His forgiveness, God could have worked it out somehow.  It was his job to protect his wife, not join in the deception.  Praying that you will grow in your discernment, and recognize the serpent in your life.  Anything that could lead you away from God.  Praying that you will remove the serpent in your life, whatever door, person or activity that it is trying to enter in.   So you will remain blameless before God, so your children can grow up in Eden, not East St. Louis. 
 
Love you all,
dad