 God The
Father, placed man (Adam) in the garden which can represent life and then gave him woman (Eve)
as a helpmeet (not help mate). In what seemed to be a perfect world, a world without sin or wrong yet, God
placed a tree in the midst of the garden where they dwelled. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This tree from
our vantage point can represent fulfillment, "good to eat", satisfaction to the flesh. It can also represent
temptation because it was placed in the midst of where man lived, slept, ate, worked, and everything else they did.
It can also represent choice because Adam and Eve were told they could eat of every tree in the garden except for that one.
They were given the opportunity to choose to obey the direct order of God or not. It also can represent
repercussion because what would occur after they made their choice.
No, we are no longer in what seems to be a perfect world without sin but the scenario is basically the same. We are
in a world with an abundance of trees that God has placed here for us to reap and eat of and there is still
(symbolically) the forbidden tree that has been placed amongst us that the serpent (the devil according to Revelation 12:9)
is still convincing God's people, His chosen ones to eat of.
There is soooooo much that can be covered here but we will look at one that we as a whole seem to miss. Matthew 7:13, 14 says "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (KJV) THE LIE:
We have been led to believe that as believers, there is almost nothing we can't do. I know that is not proper english
but I'm trying to make a point lol. We live in a day and age where EEEEEVERYTHING is becoming acceptable as believers.
I'm sorry women, but I never thought I would see the day where pole dancing classes would be promoted literally within the
four walls of the church. I never thought I would see the day when young men and old would come in the house of The
Lord and render praise to him in the form of rap but do it with sagging pants, wife beaters (tanktops), hats tilted to the
side, while there hand rest around their crotch area but now it has become the norm. I never thought I would see the
day when same sex couples would come to worship together hand in hand. I never thought I would see the day when our
pastors would be the biggest predators in the church. My list can go on and on. The lie is just like it was in
the garden...You can do these things because they will actually benefit you. The serpent asked Eve a question.
In Genesis 3:1 "...Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"
She then responded with what God said and then came the lie. He took what was truth but then TOTALLY twisted it.
The serpent said in verse 4 and 5 "...Ye shall not surely die:5For God doth know that
in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
Her eyes would be opened and she would be as gods knowing good and evil but he didn't tell her at what cost. I say all the time that in a world (In Eden)
that seemed to be so perfect, God still placed limits, boundaries, law. If a world that knew no sin
had boundaries and limits, what do we think about today? We live in a world full of workers of iniquity (not equal,
just, or righteous). Luke 13:27 "But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are;
depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." 1 Peter 4:17, 18 says "For
the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them
that obey not the gospel of God? 18And if the righteous scarcely
be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" I love 2-4 "That
he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles,
when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:4Wherein they
think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:" Did you
really catch all of that. He is pretty much saying that it was cool when you were a sinner that you did the things you
did but now that you are no longer walking in sin it's time to do away with the lusts of the sinner. Which means we
can't have, do, or go after everything that the ungodly have, do, or go after.
THE TRUTH: We were not placed here on earth to become little religous slaves or slaves to man's doctrine
or belief about the way of God (John 8:34) but there has always been limits placed or boundaries set that
we were never suppose to cross. What we have done is allowed ourselves to be entertained by the way of the
sinner, the ungodly and it has dictated the actions of the body of Christ in a negative way. The world has dictated
our behavior. Whatever happened to "sanctification"??? (to be set apart or aside for God's use.) The
above scripture in 1 Peter said that the Gentile should think it strange when we no longer run with them to the point where
they would even speak evil of us. The world is not thinking strange of us because we have embraced the world and we
now look like them. They actually don't know us when they see us.
Children teach us so much that we need to know about life. Have you ever noticed how whatever a child gives his attention
to for a period of time like the NBA, wrestling, video games, friends, etc., they began to look like, act like, and everything
they talk about or do in some way or another points back to that thing? That's how we are as believers. You can
go to a gospel concert and tell who gives their time to BET, MTV, etc. because of the way they behave on the stage.
They mimic what they see like children. Sit back and look at the face or surface of today's Christianity and tell me
what it looks like to you. We have added more lanes to the road and made it broader when it used to be a two lane road
going in opposite directions. The funny thing is that world's road is still the same. We (the church) are the
only ones who did unnecessary road construction on our side of the road. We need to bring The Word of God
back in style and give our attention to it and The Church will start to look like God again.
With all the love I have, Levi "Too" King
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