Spiritual Choices: "Did God really say?"

The FIRST question in the Bible is the Devil wanting to destroy Adam and Eve's worldview relationship with God, ....when asking them "Did God really say....?"

There's a story in the Bible illustrating the challenge of spiritual choices we sometimes face.  It happened in the Garden of Eden after God told Adam, "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden — except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die."  ....See Genesis 2:16-17 NLT

Genesis 3:1 is the first question in the Bible ....and it was a lie!  It was deception by the Devil in asking, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?"  .......That is NOT what God said!

Eve (and Adam) knew the TRUTH God had told them about which "specific" fruit to not eat ....and why.

‍Not eating (experiencing) "fruit" from the tree of the "knowledge of good and evil" ....was God's way of giving Adam and Eve a "LIFE BOUNDARY" to live by ....for their protection.

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That's when the Devil messed with Eve's (and Adam's) worldview, saying, "You will not surely die.  For God knows ....if you taste it, your eyes will be opened, and you will BE LIKE GOD, knowing good and evil" (NKJV).  ....The implication being that God was holding back on something they should have, needed! ....They had a simple choice to make, ....trust God? ....or not?  

(The Devil suggested,) ....Die?  No, you’ll not die. God is playing games with you.  The truth is that God knows the day you eat the fruit from that tree you will awaken something powerful in you and BECOME LIKE HIM: possessing knowledge of both good and evil.
    — Genesis 3:4-5 The Voice

Well, ....they wanted it, now "seeing" life through a "changed" worldview.  That's when Adam and Eve ....LOST TRUST IN GOD, ....sinned eating the "forbidden" fruit, ....crossed a relationship boundary with God, and you know the rest of this story.

The Devil tempted them to live independent of God....

It was cunning deception from the Devil.  And he has been doing it basically the same way ever since ("Did God really say...?"), ....because it works so well, ....when we DO NOT TRUST GOD, ....when we ARE PRIDEFUL, ....and we want to "BE LIKE GOD".

WE MUST "SEE" what happened here, so we can learn from it?  It is the Devil's SPIRITUAL WARFARE STRATEGY: "tempt human 'self' to not trust God".
....The intent is destroying our relationship with Creator God.

Spiritual Choices: "Where are you?"

‍The Bible's SECOND question is Creator God looking for fellowship with Adam and Eve, when He asks "Where are you?" ....because He wanted to be with them.

When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
    — Genesis 3:8-9 NLT

....Now, does anyone really think Eternal God did not know Adam and Eve were hiding "among the trees".  SMILE....

Hmm.  Perhaps, God's question could be rephrased as "Adam (and Eve), do you know where you are?"  ....Or, "Adam (and Eve), where are you in our relationship?"

‍It's the same question God asks us....

"Roger, do you know where you are?"

"(Your Name), where are you in our relationship?"

Since the beginning of time, God has wanted a trusting, loyal, ....loving relationship with us humans, His creation.  Still does.  Always will.  ....That's why scripture says....

Just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust Him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with Him.  Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him.  SEE THAT YOU GO ON GROWING IN THE LORD, and become strong and vigorous in the TRUTH you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all He has done.
    — Colossians 2:6-7 TLB

....We learn more in Prov 3:5-8 NCV, Rom 1:17 NCV and Col 3:10 NCV

Okay, ....back to the question about choices

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So, how should we make life's choices?

....because everyone's worldview is a "work-in-progress" over their lifetime....

From birth, our minds (worldviews) start at "tabula rasa" (Latin) — "an empty state before receiving outside impressions, or existing in its original pristine state." ....Then we began "seeing", "hearing", ...."feeling" the world around us, and our worldviews begin growing in experiences, ....expectations, ....becoming SELF-aware.

God's "gift of learning" TO KNOW HIM

Continuing to mature, we find ourselves (whether young or older) asking about Life's Biggest Questions, ....like "How did I get here?", ...."Where am I going?"

From the day YOU RECEIVED JESUS as Savior and Lord, ....the HOLY SPIRIT BEGAN HELPING YOU BUILD AND NURTURE YOUR WORLDVIEW >>>

You are living a brand new kind of life that is continually learning more and more of what is right, and trying constantly to be more and more like Christ who created this new life within you.
    — Colossians 3:10 TLB

Set "live-by-truth" LIFE BOUNDARIES for yourself

....to grow in the Lord and become strong and vigorous in His TRUTH....

In geography, a boundary is the "dividing line" marking a border between one property and beginning of another.  ....In interpersonal relationships, a boundary is what divides one person from another, so each can have separate identities, feelings, responsibilities, etc.  Heathy boundaries show respect for others.

BIBLICALLY, boundaries relate to SELF-CONTROL, taking responsibility for our own lives.  ....God gives us freedom to choose to live within His boundaries ....or outside of them, .......and to live outside of God's boundaries means to accept the consequences.  Living inside God's boundaries brings His presence, peace and blessing (Gal 5:22-23), ....while living outside of them brings destruction and death (Romans 6:23).

We have cause to celebrate because THE GRACE OF GOD HAS APPEARED, offering the gift of salvation to all people. 

GRACE ARRIVES WITH ITS OWN INSTRUCTION: run away from anything that leads us away from God; abandon the lusts and passions of this world; live life now in this age WITH AWARENESS AND SELF-CONTROL, doing the right thing and keeping yourselves holy.
    — Titus 2:11-12 The Voice

Because another question is.... "Why am I here?"

....And that takes us back to the question....

What does it mean to be Jesus' Disciple?

....Let's stop here a moment and think about it....

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SEEK GOD and you will find....

....there ....is ....no ....end ....to knowing more of God, ....CONTINUALLY experiencing more of WHO HE IS and WANTS TO BE IN YOUR LIFE!  The more you know God, ....the more there is to learn ABOUT HIM ....FROM HIM....

Experiencing God's ABUNDANT LOVE for you.... John 3:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Jude 1:20-21; Revelation 1:5

Experiencing His PEACE & PRESENCE in all of life's circumstances.... John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7; and see Chapter 16

Experiencing His CONSTANT FRIENDSHIP, knowing you are never alone.... Psalm 139:1-18,23-24; Romans 5:11

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.......Thanks for traveling with me.  There's more to talk about....  SMILE.

Let's keep going....

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‍^{*Credits: reach for apple image anonymous / child hiding image from pinterest / warning sign from dreamstime / thoughts about boundaries from GotQuestions}