Spiritual Awakening

Spiritual Awakening

Genesis 3: ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was ^]pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

 

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Belief in the lie Satan told and implied and inferred, caused the woman to innocently want more than she already had. She wanted to be “wise.” She did not know what she was missing, but, for some reason, felt she was missing something. The lie worked! Her husband was right there. He too was curious about what would happen. He had never seen death and probably wondered what it was.

 

My Observations:

• Both man and woman could physically see so the “eyes” here are spiritual eyes that provides awareness.
• Shame seemed to be the first thing they experienced when they became aware.
• Everything became different from both of their perspectives.

 

Feeling inadequate or different or ashamed came from something seemingly innocent, namely eating. Humans compare sins like murder, adultery, or lying and label them as “big” sins. But eating something from GOD’s tree took down all of humanity! One bite doomed all humans to death. Satan had won, or so he thought. He didn’t know that GOD had already made a plan for the fall.

 

GOD never changed in the situation. HE was still GOD, but now the relationship with HIS creation was spiritually different. They would now see HIM as someone to question or blame or doubt. No longer was anything HE made,  “good” enough. They would try to make their own solutions to problems that did not exist.  Fortunately GOD knew how to fix this.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD went into detail to Moses, regarding the woman’s desire to be “wise?”
• Have you ever wanted something that was possibly not good for you, yet you wanted it more and more?
• Will you give your desires to GOD and ask HIM to align them to HIS will today?

Remove Barriers

Remove Barriers

1 Corinthians 8: ⁹ Be careful, however, not to let your freedom of action make those who are weak in the faith fall into sin. ¹⁰ Suppose a person whose conscience is weak in this matter sees you, who have so-called “knowledge,” eating in the temple of an idol; will not this encourage him to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ And so this weak person, your brother for whom Christ died, will perish because of your “knowledge”! ¹² And in this way you will be sinning against Christ by sinning against other Christians and wounding their weak conscience. ¹³ So then, if food makes a believer sin, I will never eat meat again, so as not to make a believer fall into sin.

 

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“Put on your best” were the words of someone, I think. We were all dressed in suits and dresses, giving our “best” every Sunday at church. The SPIRIT of the LORD moved me to go out into the neighborhood and invite people. “No thanks, I don’t have anything to wear” was the barrier presented to me.

 

• There have been many things I did that were a barrier to someone.
• There have been many things I did that may have caused someone to stumble.
• There have been many things I did that seemed harmless to me, but were harmful to others.

 

“Be careful” was Paul’s warning. He was addressing a question about food offered to idols. He replied with a statement that idols have no power. But he warns everyone who believes to be careful not to make a believer fall into sin. If there is a person who is “weaker in faith”, be careful with liberties.

 

• GOD wants me to use discernment around people who are just starting to know CHRIST.
• GOD wants me to drop my assumptions that everyone is at the same maturity level.
• GOD wants me to keep my liberties to myself if they will cause a person to fall into sin.

 

“It’s all good” is not all good to everyone. I mean, when I am speaking to someone, my relaxed attitude towards something may cause a person to doubt a truth I may have spoken about JESUS. This truth may cause that person to sin. Now I have caused a sin against CHRIST.

 

GOD wants me to be willing to make adjustments to the way I do things so I will be inviting rather than offensive. This only goes so far. The message of JESUS is quite offensive and HE does not want me to stop speaking about HIM. But I can stop wearing suits, eating certain things and going to buildings on certain days “temporarily” while I am with a person who I may offend. I am glad GOD’s grace is sufficient.

 

• Are you being offensive and are unaware?
• Do you follow customs versus being led by the SPIRIT?
• Will you examine your habits and see if the good ones have become a barrier to GOD and ask HIM to remove it immediately today?

The Cause or The Cure

Luke 17: Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! ² It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. ³ Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

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Bored and lonely, I decided to throw a party. I discussed this with my roommate and our plan was put into action. “Hmm, what do I need to make this successful?” I said to myself. “I know! Great music, booze and girls who would get drunk to… you know!” This was a good plan.

• There were times when I was the cause of the problem.
• There were times when I sought out to bring other people into my failure.
• There were times when I wanted to be viewed as the king of “my” kingdom.

JESUS warns HIS disciples about sin. “Don’t purposefully cause people to sin” was the first warning and the second was “Forgive people a lot more than you think you should.” HE understands that the pride if Satan caused mankind to fall. BUT GOD also knows the fall can be temporary.

• JESUS wants me to believe in HIS sinless life so I don’t have to be perfect.
• JESUS wants me to understand that at some point in my life, I should try to reduce my sins.
• JESUS wants me to forgive people because I too am a sinner who needs to be forgiven.

Forgiving people who are the cause of sin is probably harder than staying away from being the cause, for me. “Remember that time way back about twenty years ago” are the words that pop up in my mind that makes it hard to forgive “that” person. BUT GOD wants me to forgive even though I may never forget. I have caused many to sin, I am glad GOD has forgiven me and them.

• Are you causing other people to sin by your poisonous or lustful or complaint–filled words?
• Do you take sin lightly?
• Will you allow GOD to help reduce your sin a little each day by adding grace to your heart so HE can grow you for HIS purpose?

When the Dust Settles

Ezekiel 5: ¹³ “Then my anger will cease and my wrath against them will subside, and I will be avenged. And when I have spent my wrath on them, they will know that I the Lord have spoken in my zeal.

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Feeling rather smug I went into the office of my new boss. This was a temporary situation because he was actually my boss’s boss, but my boss was fired and I was quite glad. He said to me “Why didn’t you help him?” I was actually shocked at the question. It took about a year or so to win his confidence back. It was a rough year.

• There were times when I have made people mad.
• There were times when I was the one who brought on anger.
• There were times when I was blind and deserved the wrath I got.

I couldn’t say “What did I do to bring on this?” because it was my “lack of doing” that brought on his anger. I had to change my attitude immediately otherwise I was going to be next in line to get ousted. After a year wrath, I definitely knew who the boss was.

• GOD has brought on situations in my life to show me HE is GOD.
• GOD has shown me HIS wrath and I definitely know HE is GOD.
• GOD has put stumbling block in front of me to show me HE is GOD.

While the situation was difficult, it was a great learning experience. My character was shown to be low and I had to improve it with sustained activity. It took a while but I won him over, to an extent. He approved my promotion and I could see his wrath subside. GOD has done the same in many instances.

HE has taken me though ups and downs to show me HE is in charge. HE wants me to see HIM as more than that of a wish giver but the ONE who is in charge. HE is supreme in all of HIS glorious movements. GOD is above all!

• Are you going through something?
• Have you asked “Why me?”
• Will you stop sulking and turn your eyes to GOD immediately?
• Will you seek HIS peace today?

GOD doesn’t play

Judges 9: ²² After Abimelek had governed Israel three years, ²³ God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. ²⁴ God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.

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Lying had become a way of life as I tried to get as much as I could at that time. It was so convenient to just make up a lie rather than facing whatever I was facing.  When the dorm director asked “why didn’t you open up the office on time”, I wasn’t quick enough to form my lie and my story fell apart quickly.

I lost the cushy office job and had to look elsewhere. This same thing happened at the next place when I was a janitor. “I wonder if I should take these jobs seriously” I thought to myself.

When I sin I try to hide what I did by lying to myself.

When I sin I think I can get away with whatever I’ve done.

When I sin I hope no consequence will fall on me.

“I can’t be perfect” is my excuse for sinning so I jump in with both feet. I then justify my sin by comparing what others have done and trivializing my “little” sin to their “big” one. BUT GOD sees things different.

GOD doesn’t want me to blow off my sin even though I am fully forgiven for them.

GOD knows sin somehow weakens me to the point where I can’t be used for HIS plan.

GOD sees through my lies even when I lie to myself.

“Vengeance is mine” GOD says and that goes for me as well. HE fights my foes and protects me from their attacks, but HE also corrects me when I am the attacker. GOD cannot stand sin, no matter how I try to justify it. Fortunately for me, HIS SON forgave me of all my sins and cleanses me of all unrighteousness.

I still may have to face consequence while I’m on this planet, but thank GOD my consequences are only for this lifetime. However, the more I can reduce my sinning the more GOD rewards me in the next lifetime.

Are you lying to yourself and others?

Do you constantly have sin in your life that you are not addressing?

Do you feel powerless?

Won’t you mature by not lying to yourself and turning to GOD for the answers?

Pleasing to GOD means living with a purpose

Genesis 6: ⁶ The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. ⁷ So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” ⁸ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

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Loud music woke me up. It was about 11:30 PM and I had to be up at 5:00 AM for my long commute to work. I went out to ask the neighbor if he could keep the music down to a roar. He was with one of his “acquaintances” who started reaching in his jacket in a motion that looked like he was reaching for a gun.

He stopped his acquaintance from doing whatever he was going to do. The LORD had intervened. “Maybe I should thank GOD more often”, I thought to myself.

• In the middle of my sins GOD saw something different in me.
• In the middle of my sins GOD rescued me not because of what I did, but because of HIS love.
• In the middle of my sins GOD saw fit to protect me.

There is no righteousness in me, nor can I do anything to persuade GOD to like me more after my sin.  If that were the case then I could sin as much as I wanted to as long as I confessed them or did something nice to counterbalance the sinful action.

GOD sees my sin and loves me anyway.  HE only wants my belief in HIS SON as the savior of all of mankind. HE is not looking for my perfection rather HE wants me to look at HIS. Since I am not perfect, HE wants me to tell people about HIS gift.

GOD regretted he made humans and I only hope HE can accept my sparse attempts of worship as pleasing to HIM.

• Has GOD rescued you from something?
• Have you ever faced danger and GOD brought you through it?
• Do you think GOD has a purpose for you?
• Can you live out GOD’s purpose realizing you will never eradicate sin but your love for HIM can increase?

My strength may be my weakness

1 Corinthians 8: ⁹ Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?10 

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Some songs I listen to have catchy beats but their words are not always edifying to GOD. Some shows I watch have content that is not pleasing to GOD. We could argue about the pros and cons of isolating myself from these things but my concern is am I causing someone else to stumble by what I listen to or watch?

• When I do something that people may abstain from out of knowledge that I am forgiven I may be causing someone to stumble.
• When eat during a period of other folks fasting I may be causing someone to stumble.
• When I wave meat in front of a vegetarian I may be causing someone to stumble.

I never realized my actions may affect someone else. I mean aren’t they responsible for their own actions? GOD wants me to be aware that while I am forgiven and have freedom from my sins I should be careful to exercise my freedom around those who do not understand how free I am indeed.

• GOD wants me to appreciate the way someone is worshipping rather than being critical of their ways.
• GOD wants me to enjoy the various ways people see what HE is doing in their lives rather than pushing how I want them to see HIM.
• GOD wants me to be an example because actions speak louder than words.

Remaining calm in the storm, remaining faithful in darkness, remaining strong in the face of weakness is what GOD has called me to do but if my strength gets in the way of someone seeing GOD then I must prayerfully try to reduce myself and increase the person who is stumbling. In other words I have to do everything in my power to help them see GOD and not see me.

• Are you in the way of someone seeing GOD?
• Are your rules getting in the way of those who can’t seem to follow rules?
• Can you allow “that” person to grow in GOD their way and not your way?