Further From the Garden

Further From the Garden

 

Genesis 4: ¹⁹ Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. ²⁰ And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. ²¹ His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. ²² And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

²³ Then Lamech said to his wives:

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech!
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man for hurting me.
²⁴ If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

 

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GOD created the heaven and the earth for humans. But when Satan rose up with pride to try to become GOD, he was thrown out of heaven. He had a quest to take over humans, so he tempted the first to sin, Now all humans born would have a sin nature. Their son Cain ended up killing his own brother over jealousy and insecurity.

 

Cain was extremely intelligent and built a city. He had a son named Lamech. This was a very resourceful family who never once consulted GOD, but was given a vast amount of intelligence.

 

My Observations:

• Industries were born to support being away from GOD.
• Human needs, mixed with rage and lawlessness caused people to want to take from each other.
• Rage, greed, and lust caused a set of humans to move further away from GOD’s original intent of a peaceful existence in the garden.

 

Various industries were born out of necessity from being banned from the Garden of Eden and from being cursed even further from growing vegetables. Housing, livestock, music, education, and metalworking were just a few industries now needed to sustain life without GOD. Even though they were using GOD’s created materials, they never consulted GOD or asked for forgiveness.

 

Soon other people intermarried and more and more selfish people existed. They learned to survive by harming each other. Killing was now a thing. Doing things without GOD was also now a thing. Human measures of success would now rule. JESUS knew this would happen and was prepared to die for the sins of those who “would” ask for forgiveness.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about a conversation between Lamech, Adah and Zillah?
• Have you ever got tired of waiting on GOD and done some things on your own?
• What plans have you put in place to keep yourself from leaving GOD this time?

Not So Bad Zone

 

Not So Bad Zone

Romans 1: ²⁴ And so God has given those people over to do the filthy things their hearts desire, and they do shameful things with each other. ²⁵ They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever! Amen.

 

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I was a bit nervous after bringing home the porn. I spent hours in the bathroom staring at its contents, “playing” with myself and did not get “caught.” After a while that was not enough. I had to have the real thing.

 

I was nervous again but did it anyway. I convinced someone to join me in sex. Afterwards, I looked around and the heavens did not open to burn me up. “Maybe I’m not so bad after all” I said to myself, continuing in my indulgence.

 

• There have been many times when I compared my sin to what other people were doing.
• There been many times when I thought I did not receive any consequence to the actions I knew were wrong.
• There been many times when I brought other people into my filthy world and soon that was not enough.

 

Paul writes something very disturbing. He mentions what GOD dictated to him. GOD has given people over to do as they please and fulfil whatever their evil hears desire. After the shameful act, then the lie appears. “That was not so bad.”

 

• GOD wants me to open my eyes to my sin.
• GOD wants me to stay away from the lie of “not so bad.”
• GOD wants me to confess my filthy heart to HIM daily, never thinking I am “not so bad.”

 

Each time I think I am “not so bad” I commit a “smaller” act of sin that takes my mind further away from thinking of GOD. After a while, I question my salvation because I get to a place where I am not acknowledging GOD at all. BUT GOD shows me grace.

 

HE watched me in the middle of my sin and decided to die for me instead of zapping me with some excruciatingly painful sentence. HE gave me another chance and wants me to do the same to others. I am glad GOD forgave me of all my sins.

 

• Are you addicted to porn?
• Do you or did you crave a sexual relationship outside of marriage as GOD defines it?
• Will you open your eyes to GOD’s grace and stop comparing your sin to other people so you can confess your sins to GOD and HE will be faithful and just to forgive you today?

Be Prepared

Luke 17: ²² Then He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. ²³ And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ Do not go after them or follow them. ²⁴ For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. ²⁵ But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. ²⁶ And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: ²⁷ They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸ Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; ²⁹ but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. ³⁰ Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

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Running to the gate in hopes of catching the plane ended up in true disappointment. I could literally see the plane being pushed away from the gate. A sinking feeling came over me. The fact that I missed my flight was not so permanent, but I was supposed to meet one of the higher ups who was trying to land a huge account. I had stayed up late preparing and overslept.

• I have missed buses because I was late.
• I have missed trains because I was late.
• I have missed planes because I was late.

JESUS warns the disciples about human history, except HIS examples were extreme. During the times of Noah, the people had turned from GOD. The people of Sodom did the same. In both accounts, JESUS mentions their destruction. The people stopped being prepared and fell asleep.

• GOD wants me to remain awake towards HIS love each and ever day.
• GOD wants me to look for JESUS’ return every day.
• GOD wants me to be prepared for HIS return by looking for HIS lost people each and every day.

Falling asleep on GOD is easy to do. I mean when things are going well, I have a tendency to pray less and sometimes forget HE is even there. Even when I go through difficult times, I forget that GOD loves me with extreme love. GOD wants me to be prepared for bad times and good. HE wants me to understand that HIS everlasting love never fails.

• Have you fallen asleep on GOD?
• Do you want to force HIM to reveal HIMSELF to you the way “you” want?
• Will you wake up and get prepared by seeking people who need to hear the message of GOD today?