Burunche’s Blog

Genesis 7:1-10 “The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you (alone) righteous in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.” And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.

Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.”

 “The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you (alone) righteous in this generation.” One hundred years! Noah and his sons have been working on this ship for one hundred years. Not only have they completed the ship, but they have also gathered up all kinds of food for the animals God has promised to send. If the neighbors were derisive before, that’s nothing compared to what they are saying and doing now. As Noah and the family load the last animal food on the ark and begin climbing up the ramp to enter, the neighbors are jeering so loudly that the noise is incredible.

And now the animals are beginning to come and spontaneously climbing the ramp to enter the ark as well. It’s amazing, but all Noah and his sons have to do is to escort the animals to their various pens and everything is fine. The noise inside the ark is far less than the noise outside. God is sending the animals and birds He wants to save in the numbers He has already outlined for Noah. Noah’s job is not to gather up the animals but to make sure there is sufficient food for them. Given the rain that is coming, water should not be a problem. As the animals are trooping into the ark, huge black storm clouds are beginning to gather and the wind is picking up, blowing dust into the eyes of the mocking neighbors. Just as the last animals and birds are loaded and Noah’s family brings in the last of their possessions, there is a loud crash of thunder as lightning strikes the earth close to the ark. Rain begins to fall in torrents. Most of the neighbors head home to get out of the rain, wondering why it is raining at this time of year when it’s normally dry season.

There are many questions we would love to ask Noah if we could. What did Noah’s family members think of his conviction about the ark? Was Noah’s wife in agreement, or did she try to argue with him? What about Noah’s sons and their wives? If the time given is accurate, this family suffered for a century before vindication came. Those of us who are farmers might also have other questions: how did he handle the urine and manure from all those animals? What kept the carnivores from feasting on their neighbors or on Noah’s family members? How did Noah know the quantity and nature of the animal and bird food to collect? What was the noise level like on the ark? Were Noah and his family able to sleep  soundly? The longer you consider this story, the more you realize that God had to work a lot of miracles for things to run smoothly.

Throughout the Middle East there are many areas that testify to the fact that at some point, there was a huge flood. There is also strong evidence that Noah’s ark did eventually wind up on the top of Mount Ararat. For answers to many of the questions I have posed, you might visit the replica of the ark built in Williamstown, Kentucky. The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky is also well worth visiting. Whether or not you choose to believe the account in Genesis, these two museums strive to address a number of the controversies.

Noah and his family found themselves in the midst of an unfolding catastrophe. How could they maintain spiritual peace? They prayed and worshiped God and then trusted Him. We never know when our lives might be turned upside down-tornadoes, floods, fires, accidents-any of us can be hit with catastrophes. But when we know God and trust Him, we can be sure that God will take care of us. Romans 8:28 Tells us that “”All things work together for good to those who love the Lord.”

Does this mean that things will always be easy? Far from it! The same man who wrote the words I have just quoted died by being beheaded at the command of a wicked Roman emperor. If ever there were a man who lived a chaotic life, the Apostle Paul was that man. But throughout all Paul’s life, throughout beatings, danger from robbers, shipwrecks, imprisonment, and even being stoned, Paul still had the peace of God in his heart. When we have God’s peace, we can face anything that life throws at us. When we don’t have God’s peace, no amount of wealth, possessions, or power will suffice. 

They Cast Their Nets in Galilee

“They cast their nets in Galilee Just off the hills of brown
Such happy simple fisherfolk Before the Lord came down

Contented peaceful fishermen Before they ever knew
The peace of God That fill’d their hearts Brimful and broke them too.

Young John who trimmed the flapping sail, Homeless, in Patmos died.
Peter, who hauled the teeming net, Head-down was crucified.

The peace of God, it is no peace, But strife closed in the sod,
Yet, brothers, pray for but one thing–The marvelous peace of God.”

William Alexander Percy 1924

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to seek Your Peace above everything else, knowing that You are the Giver of Peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 6:9-22 “This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, (blameless, having integrity) perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits (450 feet), its width fifty cubits (75 feet), and its height thirty cubits (45 feet). You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.”

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.”

The name “Noah” means “rest;” however, at this point, things on earth are far from restful! The Nephilim (possibly fallen angels who have fallen from heaven to earth with Satan) have interbred with humans and their offspring are naturally evil and are begetting more evil. (What else can they produce?) God is ready to clean house; however, Noah and his family remain as righteous people and God chooses to use them to preserve creation. But first, Noah must build a boat in the middle of dry land.

Noah and his family already have a reputation as weirdos. Noah’s family doesn’t engage in wild sexual orgies or public drunkenness; they live quietly and peaceably. Noah is a diligent farmer while his neighbors are allowing their crops to go to seed. Noah takes care of his animals and restrains them, rather than allowing them to wander off into the neighbor’s crops, destroying their farms. Noah’s wife is kind and sweet and doesn’t join in the vicious gossip at the public well. If Noah’s wife sells things in the market, she doesn’t attempt to cheat people. The tomatoes at the bottom of the pile are just as good as those at the top, and Noah’’s wife has never sold anybody a rotten cucumber. If Mrs. Noah weaves material and sells it, she gives full measure and doesn’t try to fold the material so that a smaller amount will appear to be a larger length. Noah’s sons and daughters behave circumspectly and modestly. Yes, Noah and his family are really strange! And now things are about to get stranger.

The first indication Noah’s neighbors have that something unusual is happening is when Noah begins gathering huge amounts of wood and pitch. Next, Noah erects a scaffold, and when nosy neighbors question him, Noah tells them that God has instructed him to build a large boat and gather up animals and birds because God is going to send a catastrophic flood. You can almost imagine the ridicule. “God? Which god would tell you to do such a stupid thing? Noah, you must be drinking just like the rest of us! Besides, Noah, you’re a farmer, not a carpenter! And in case you haven’t noticed, the nearest large body of water is several days’ journey from here, and we get very little rainfall here. How can it possibly flood? Noah, you are really crazy!”

When we continue the story of Noah, we learn that it will take nearly 100 years to build the ark. That’s 100 years of insults from the neighbors, 100 years of verbal abuse, 100 years of sacrificing whatever reputation Noah might have established. It’s possible that prior to God’s orders, Noah has enjoyed a reputation as a sage advisor and counselor, one of the elders sitting in the city gates. Now Noah has become an object of ridicule. When Noah and his family venture out, small children mock them, chanting insulting verses about them. As Noah continues to build the ark, even the town criers announce his progress only to mock him.

Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Noah and his family are paying a high price, sacrificing their standing in society, and enduring all kinds of ridicule; however, their neighbors ultimately will pay for their unbelief and their slander with their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren.

In the face of such opposition, how are Noah and his family managing to persist and continue to progress? The key is the phrase “moved with godly fear.” Noah has a strong relationship with God and fears and respects God. Noah truly believes that God will bring a flood and that God is calling him to do the unthinkable, to build a huge boat in the middle of a land with no lakes or seas for great distances. Noah has peace in his heart and is continuing to obey God because he trust that God has truly spoken to him and he fears for his family, for creation, and for himself.

While heading mission hospitals, I have endured at least three major staff strikes. Each time, rebellious members of staff have convinced others that the hospital has enormous amounts of money and should be paying generous allowances in addition to the salaries staff receive from the government. Each time, these people have vilified me, even though I have worked extremely hard and that I have tried to lead as honestly and as honorably as possible. During one strike, one seasoned nursing leader commented that my people had no idea how well we were actually doing and that they should be grateful rather than resentful. Only the knowledge that God has called me and continues to call me has allowed me to remain faithful and to continue to work.

Steven Jobs is quoted as having said, “If you want to be popular, sell ice cream.” Most of the time, when we consider the story of Noah, we focus on the completed ark, gathering the animals, and the flood. There are all kinds of cute pictures of Noah and all those animals. But Noah paid the real price before the flood ever arrived, enduring all kinds of attacks from his neighbors. Noah had peace because he knew that God was calling him to do this work.

Romans 5:1-5 tells us, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Noah had peace with God because he remained in fellowship with God and refused to listen to evil advisers. When surrounded by evil, we may still have peace with God if we will look to God and refuse to pay attention to those around us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to focus on You and not on the evil around us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 5:18 – 24 “When Jared was 162 years old, he became the father of Enoch. And after he had become the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. So Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.

When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he had become the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. So Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, because God had taken him away.”

One of the baffling things about Genesis is the number of years these people allegedly lived. Leaving that question to the side, we have the fascinating mention of Enoch.

In many respects, Enoch is a frustrating figure. We know nothing about Enoch’s profession; did he herd sheep and goats? Was he a farmer raising crops? Was he a merchant? Who knows? We know that Enoch fathered Methuselah, who turned out to live longer than any other man. We know nothing about the rest of Enoch’s family. We don’t even know how Enoch prayed or worshipped. All we do know is that God took Enoch straight to heaven without Enoch suffering through death pangs.

Why would God choose Enoch for such an honor over any other person? Why bother even discussing Enoch? Evidently, from the time Enoch was young, Enoch knew God and had an intimate friendship with God. Hebrews 11:5 tells us, ”By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken, he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

Enoch was one of those guys who was simply fun to be around. You could hear Enoch coming before you would see him, for he was always singing or whistling something cheery. Enoch had pet nicknames for all his friends. Children and animals loved Enoch-dogs and cats followed him, donkeys brayed at him, horses nickered to him, and he had a kind and gentle touch for every living creature. When you were with Enoch, the sky was a brighter shade of blue, the birds sang more sweetly, and you felt hopeful and encouraged. Enoch had a lovely sense of humor and could make jokes about himself that brought smiles and laughter. To be with Enoch was to be with someone who loved you and who would support you.

“But you never knew Enoch,” you might react. “How can you possibly say all these things about him?” I can say these things because Enoch pleased God and the attributes I have just described are Godly attributes. 23 tells us that tthe fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. For Enoch to please God, he must have exhibited all these qualities in abundance. How did Enoch learn all these things? He walked with God and God taught him. Enoch imbibed so much of God’s nature that God couldn’t stand to be parted from him for an instant.

Romans 5:1-2 says, “ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Did Enoch ask God to take him to heaven? I don’t think so. I think one evening, Enoch was walking and talking with God, and God was so pleased with him that God gathered him up and took him to heaven. The only other people honored in this fashion have been Elijah and Jesus. Moses and all the other prophets died and were buried. All the apostles and all believers since died and were buried. Enoch went to heaven because he was justified by faith and had peace with God.

Enoch’s story is important because he stands as a testimony to what happens when someone pleases God completely and has peace with God. How can we have that kind of relationship with God? Ask God for help. God wants to be in close relationship with us and will give us His grace and His peace if we will ask.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to lives of peace and grace so that we will always please You as Enoch has done. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 4:1-16 “And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said. Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel.

Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD, while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.

“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”

Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” “Not so! ” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”

“Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD, while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.” Cain is the firstborn in the family and raises crops while Abel keeps sheep. But when the two brothers bring offerings, God approves of Abel while disregarding Cain. What has gone wrong? Is God playing favorites?

There are some teachers who feel that Abel’s offering is acceptable because it is a blood sacrifice; however, at no point is it recorded that God has demanded blood sacrifices. Abel has offered the best portions of the firstborn of his flock, taking a risk that this is the only lamb his flock will produce. Perhaps Abel has loved that lamb and has even made a pet of it; he still offers it to God anyway. Cain has brought some of the fruit of the soil; there’s no indication that this produce is either the first fruits of Cain’s efforts or the best Cain has available. It’s quite likely that Cain has kept the best produce for himself and has given God left-overs. Notice something else: while Cain is busy getting angry at God, at no point does Cain ask God what kind of a sacrifice he might offer that would be acceptable. Cain is not the slightest bit repentant, but instead his attitude is “O.K., God. Here’s my sacrifice. Take it or leave it!”  

“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”  God has no illusions as to the evil in Cain’s heart. Cain is rebelling against God and refuses to be taught or corrected. Cain chooses to believe that he is fine just as is and that God has no right to demand anything else from him.

“Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain can’t take revenge on God, so he decides to target Abel. Cain’s misbelief is that if Abel hadn’t offered such a great sacrifice, God would have been satisfied with Cain’s left-overs. Cain doesn’t understand that God is all-knowing and all-seeing and that God knows Cain’s heart better than Cain does. Cain murders Abel and then tries to deny it.

“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”  No matter who occupies a land, the land will remember the evil or the good done on it. Cain has polluted the earth so that the earth can no longer respond to his efforts.

We have lived in several different cities in America that were originally involved in the slave trade. Even though slavery has been illegal for more than 150 years, evil still lingers in parts of each of these cities. Sometimes the spiritual climate changes from block to block. When we have toured slave forts in Ghana, the ancient misery has been nearly palpable. The land remembers.

“But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” “Not so! ” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.” Is Cain repentant? Not in the slightest! Cain has murdered his brother, depriving him of life; now Cain is feeling sorry for himself because God is punishing him. God is actually being merciful; later, when God is giving the Israelites the Law, murderers are to be put to death.

The tragedy of Abel’s murder is compounded by Cain’s unwillingness to repent. There are murderers who have repented, received forgiveness from God, and who have even gone on to minister to others. The Apostle Paul confessed that he was responsible for putting a number of Christians to death; yet, God forgave him and used him mightily when Paul repented. Cain’s sin is terrible, but he still might receive pardon and forgiveness if he repents. But Cain persists in believing that he has done nothing wrong; Cain’s only worry is staying alive himself.  

When we sin, God will forgive us if we are truly sorry, turn away from our sins, and confess them to God, seeking forgiveness. There may be consequences that we must face, including prison sentences, paying restitution, etc. When we repent, we can have peace with God. But no repentance, no peace.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to search our hearts and to confess anything that is keeping us from Your presence. Help us to truly turn away from our sins and live new lives full of Your grace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

”And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” If news media had existed in the day of Adam and Eve, the headlines would have read “Eden-Game Over!” The first indication that things have changed is this simple but horrible statement. Where has God gotten the skins with which to clothe Adam and Eve? Some animal has had to die, shedding its blood. Although we don’t hear about blood sacrifices until the story of Caine and Abel, God is the One who offers the first blood sacrifice; innocent animals die so their skins can be used for clothing. Now everything in nature has also changed and animals that were previously herbivorous have become carnivores. Sin has entered the world, and the ripple effect has changed all creation.
Why has God allowed one lousy decision by these people to blight the entire world? By rebelling against God, Adam and Eve have allowed Satan to use them as conduits of evil. Adam is serving as the pinnacle of God’s creation; God has allowed him to name all the animals, as well as naming Eve. Had Adam resisted, it’s barely possible that this catastrophe might have been avoided; however, Adam has caved in and capitulated. When top leaders and top executives commit crimes, they doom their organizations and inspire others to commit criminal acts as well.
Romans 8:19-22 tells us, “I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time…”

God has freely allowed creation to be corrupted for a time; however, eventually when Jesus returns to the earth, creation will also be delivered from the ravages of sin. Even now, the land and water bodies respond to righteousness. The “Transformations” videos created by the Sentinel Organization depict dramatic changes in soil fertility and miraculous healing of streams, rivers, lakes, and even the ocean when those occupying the land repent and serve the One True Living God. These changes have been documented in geographically diverse places such as Guatemala, Alaska, California, Colombia, and Fiji.

“Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever…”
Why is God worrying about this now? The tree of life was always there, and God never forbade Adam and Eve from eating from the tree of life; however, that was before they disobeyed. Now that Adam has obeyed Satan rather than God, he cannot be trusted.

“Therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. So He drove out the man and stationed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden, along with a whirling sword of flame to guard the way to the tree of life.”

We have no idea of the actual location of the Garden of Eden, although many sites in the Middle East have been proposed as possible locations. The only thing we know is that God has completely banished humans from Eden, setting a guard that Satan cannot penetrate.

The story of Eden is a tragic one; however, similar stories continue to unfold. More than one outstanding athlete has been awarded a scholarship to a great school, only to die from an overdose while celebrating his award. For many, this incident might mark the first time they have ever tried drugs. In some cases, the drugs are slipped into food or drink by acquaintances.

Can we sin so horribly that we separate ourselves from God? Yes and no. Yes, we can sin so horribly that we are ashamed and afraid to approach God. Can we shock God? No. God has seen it all and is fully aware of every kind of evil that exists. But God is infinitely loving and kind and will forgive us if we only will repent. God loved Adam and Eve, even after they had sinned, sending Adam and Eve out of Eden for their own protection so that they would not continue to become increasingly evil. Had Adam and Eve remained in Eden and secured eternal life, they could have spawned a race of demon-possessed people that would have populated the entire earth.

1 John 1:8-9 tells us “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confession of sin demands that we humble ourselves and face the evil in us. Once we are willing to confess our sins, God stands ready to forgive us. God has already made provision for our sins by sending Jesus to die on Calvary as our substitute. But we must confess our sins and believe in what Jesus has done for us. Nothing we do by ourselves will be sufficient to pay for our sins.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have committed many sins and have separated ourselves from you. Thank You for sending Jesus to die in our place for our sins. Please forgive us and clean up our hearts. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 3:14-19 “So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. You will desire your husband, and he will rule over you.” And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

“So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”  At this point, those of you who like snakes and lizards are probably protesting, “But why curse the serpent? Why do snakes have to suffer because Satan took on the form of a snake while tempting Eve?

What was the appearance of the serpent before he tempted Eve? Obviously, the serpent was very attractive and charming and was not crawling around on his belly; otherwise, condemning him to do so would not have been a punishment. Obviously, before the temptation, the serpent was able to talk to Eve and to convince her to disobey God. It’s even possible that the serpent had conducted many conversations with Eve before convincing her to eat the forbidden fruit; after all, to be an effective tempter, you should establish a good relationship with your target. What was the serpent eating before the temptation? Certainly not dust. Was Satan able to take on various appearances and merely took on the form of a serpent or did Satan overwhelm the serpent’s personality and use its body? Did these events really happen at all or is this part of Scripture a fable to explain why snakes crawl on their bellies? We will only get some of the answers to these questions when we reach heaven.

“To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. You will desire your husband, and he will rule over you.” Childbirth is no joke! Any woman who has given birth knows how painful it can be. Women who love their husbands desire them. But what about the phrase “he will rule over you.”? Unfortunately, abusive men have misquoted this phrase to justify any amount of physical/mental/emotional abuse they mete out to their wives; meanwhile, such abuse has never been God’s intention.

Ephesians 5:21-33 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (This does not mean wives are doormats or punching bags! Acknowledging authority does not involve abuse!)

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

“And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

In Eden, gardening was very simple and relaxing. Walk around, pick fruit, rest. Now Adam must struggle to raise crops. Ask any farmer and he/she will tell you that thorns, thistles, and weeds are the bane of a farmer’s existence. Removing weeds manually or with implements is hard work. Removing weeds with chemicals allows the chemicals to leach into the soil, poisoning the ground water. Pope John the 23^rd used to joke that there were three ways to go to ruin: wine, women, and farming, and that his father had chosen the least exciting of the three. (His father was a farmer!)

Whether or not you accept the story of the Garden of Eden as being true, the fact remains that our disobedience creates barriers between us and God, shattering our peace. How can we get peace? Submit to God. Confess your sins to Him and ask for His forgiveness and for the ability to live as God wants you to.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have sinned and grieved You. Forgive us and help us to live to please You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 3:8-19 “Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. So the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”

“I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

“Who told you that you were naked?” asked the LORD God. “Have you eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?”

And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

“The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”  

“Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. So the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”  Until now, God and Adam had regularly spent time together in the garden, and Adam knew no shame at his nakedness. But now things have changed, and Adam is ashamed of himself. This is the first recorded instance of conviction of sin, but more than that, the cry, “Adam, where are you?” echoes down the centuries. This cry comes from the Father Heart of a God who loves His creation and who longs for closeness and relationship. Does God really need to cry out? Obviously, God is all-knowing and has already witnessed Adam and Eve’s fall from grace. No, God is calling out to Adam for Adam to recognize what he has done. God’s heart is wounded, for Adam has removed himself from God’s presence, even though God is in the Garden.

“What!” you ask. “How can you say that Almighty God can possibly have a wounded heart? Isn’t that an impossibility?” Consider this: God has created us in His Image and has given us emotions. Why can’t God also feel emotions, even though the consequences for Him will be far less than the consequences we suffer? How can we speak about God loving us unless God can feel emotions? If God cannot feel emotions, it would be quite simple to zap Adam and Eve out of existence and start over, but God doesn’t do that. God continues to press Adam so that Adam will confess what he has done because only then can God forgive him.

““I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

“Who told you that you were naked?” asked the LORD God. “Have you eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?”

And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

“The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”  

Hoo-boy! Having been caught out, now Adam and Eve are starting the blame game. Adam was right there and could have refuted the serpent’s lies and stopped Eve, and refused to eat the forbidden fruit; however, Adam wants to blame Eve. Eve wants to blame the serpent for deceiving her; meanwhile, the question for Adam and Eve is “What part of ‘No!’ do you not understand?” God has given clear directions, but this couple are hoping to maneuver their way out of trouble. Whether or not you believe that this account is factual, it’s still intensely human and highly believable.

The problem is that neither Adam nor Eve have stopped to think of the consequences of disobeying God-how they might feel, how God might feel, or what might happen as a result of disobedience. The original sin was a lust for power-“you will be like God.” Only now are this couple realizing just how seriously they have messed up.

One of the TV shows we enjoy is “Border Patrol,” a program featuring Customs and Immigration officials in several different countries. Many countries have strict regulations regarding the importation of fruit, vegetables, meat, and other agricultural products because such items can introduce pests and diseases that can destroy the entire agricultural economy of a country. Incoming plane passengers are given lists of rules written several different languages so that they will be able to report truthfully about the amount of money they are bringing in plus any food items or other potential contraband. Since many of these passengers are seasoned travelers, you might think that they would be fully compliant with all the regulations….and you would be quite wrong! The variety of contraband is only exceeded by the incredible variety of excuses for these items “suddenly” appearing in the travelers’ luggage. One of the most common excuses is “My ________ (mother, mother-in-law, wife, sister, brother, friend, some stranger in the airport) packed my luggage and I didn’t know anything about this item.” But airport customs officials are only concerned about the person bringing in the items. In the end, reporting is the responsibility of the individual carrying the bags, no matter who has packed them.

To sin means to do wrong things that grieve God. How do we know what grieves God and what He approves? God has given us His instructions in the Bible. Psalm 119:9-11 tells us, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.“

Before disobeying God, Adam and Eve enjoyed one of the most wonderful forms of companionship possible, spending time with God Who loved them completely. There was no misunderstanding or miscommunication. Some of us, if we are blessed, may have friends or relatives whose very presence is an encouragement; however, these people can never love us as completely as God does.

The bad news for the human race is that all of us are sinners who cannot earn our way into heaven, no matter how hard we try. But the good news is that God has made a way for us to have fellowship with Him by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die as a blood sacrifice for our sins. When we accept what Jeuss has done for us, we can have fellowship with God. But there is a price: we must acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves and that we must trust in Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we are sinners and that nothing we do is good enough to pay for our sins. Thank You for sending Jesus to die as a blood sacrifice for our sins. We accept what Jesus has done for us and beg You to forgive us our sins and to help us live lives that are pleasing to You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 3:1-7 The Serpent’s Deception (Romans 5:12-21)

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat of any tree in the garden?’”

The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not surely die,” the serpent told her. “For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves.” 

Once more, we face a story that might or might not be literally true; however, we can still learn from it. In the beginning, Satan rebelled against God and fell from heaven, taking one third of the angels with him. Isaiah 14:12-15 tells us, ““How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.”

Having fallen from grace, Satan wants to corrupt humanity. Notice the temptation. The temptations is not sexual or sensual but the lure of hidden knowledge, the knowledge of good and evil. And note Satan’s argument. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat of any tree in the garden?’”  Satan already knows the answer, but Eve falls into the trap. ”You will not surely die,” the serpent told her. “For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”

Satan tells the truth up to a point but twists God’s purposes. Until now, Adam and Eve have experienced nothing but good from God; now Satan is accusing God of deliberately withholding something good. Satan is subtly accusing God of evil. At this point, Adam and Eve should know God well enough to tell Satan that they trust God, but they don’t. The lure of forbidden hidden knowledge is too strong. Even though Eve has traditionally been blamed, obviously, Adam is right there next to Eve and just as anxious to get forbidden knowledge as Eve is. At no point does Adam speak up and confront the serpent or caution Eve to back off. Why doesn’t Adam speak up? The real temptation here is to rebel against God and to be like God. Why doesn’t Adam respect God’s commands? Adam is convincing himself that he can eat that fruit without God ever knowing.

You might well ask why God ever placed that tree in the Garden in the first place or if this story ever actually took place. Arguing about the literal truth of this story is worthless and a waste of energy. The important thing is what we can learn from it: Sin is a fact and must be resisted continually and the temptation to gain secret knowledge to become our own gods always exists. And temptation will always look appealing and healthy, not ugly.

The pursuit of hidden knowledge is referred to as Gnosticism, and the temptation to Gnosticism has always been there. Many ancient religions have relied heavily on secret rituals conducted in caves or other forbidden places. Who doesn’t want to feel special? Who doesn’t want to have special powers? But the more we delve into arcane practices, the further we move away from God because we are trying to become our own god.

Decades ago, C.S. Lewis wrote the books known as his Space Trilogy-Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength. The continuing theme throughout these books is a series of villains who want to twist secret knowledge to gain power over earth and other planets. The books defy simple descriptions but are well worth reading. (In Perelandra, the equivalents of Adam and Eve face temptation but successfully overcome it with the help of the protagonist.) One of the key villains is a scholar who has started by plunging into every kind of occultic practice, only to become demon-possessed. As this man is dying, he alternates between demonic utterances and pleas for deliverance. In Lewis’s autobiography, he mentions caring for a fellow scholar who died in just that fashion.

When Joshua was an old man, he threw down a challenge to the Israelites. “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Each of us faces the same choices present in Eden on a daily basis. Will we serve the Lord or will we pursue arcane knowledge in hopes of becoming our own gods? Joshua’s challenge echoes down the centuries: Choose this day whom you will serve….but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”

  PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to seek Your knowledge and to seek Your Face, not occult knowledge. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 2:18-24 “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

By this point, you are probably saying, “Oh come one! You really expect us to believe this? Why did an Almighty Creator have to steal a rib from poor unsuspecting Adam to create a woman?” I agree with you; I am certain the same God who created Adam could also create a woman without taking any tissue from Adam. And did such an event really occur? I don’t know. Do the details of Eve’s creation really matter? No, not really. What is important is that God acted as a Divine Match Maker and brought Adam and Eve together for what would turn out to be a tumultuous marriage.

I have been married twice. I believed I loved my first husband and I felt sorry for him and thought I could help him. Unfortunately, I subscribed to the erroneous belief that sufficient love could make up for all previous deficiencies. (The Beatles were singing, “Love is all you really need.” They were wrong.) I thought I could help my husband heal when in fact he needed God to do the healing. Both of us were incredibly naive, and each of us had constructed a perfect spouse in our own minds. When reality failed to meet our expectations, the marriage was doomed. My biggest mistake was that I failed to seek God’s will for the situation. The collapse of the marriage plunged me into a deep depression that nearly led me to commit suicide. Blessedly, God provided people who were able to help enough that I refrained from killing myself.

After that experience, I decided that it was going to be me and Jesus for the rest of my life and that I would never remarry. I knew I had a calling on my life to be a medical missionary, and I figured I would complete my training and God would lead me on from there. So when I began praying with a friend from church for God to heal his marriage, I was totally unprepared when this friend advised me that God was going to send me a husband. My initial reaction was, “No thanks!”

Despite my protestations, my friend kept reiterating his statement that God was sending me a husband. One Sunday morning, I dropped in to visit a small church being pastored by a friend. This congregation had just lost their pianist when her husband was transferred and they had been begging God to send them a pianist. With ten years of piano lessons and the ability to play by ear, I filled the bill and suddenly became their pianist. The pastor hot-footed it home and called Bob, my husband-to-be, who was on duty at a local fire station. “Oh Bob! You’ve GOT to meet this lady doctor who came to church this morning!” Bob was totally unenthused; several blind dates had proven disappointing and he was not interested. When the two of us glimpsed each other for the first time at the midweek service, neither of us was impressed; however, the next Sunday, the pastor encouraged me to give Bob a ride back to the fire station where he was living and working. That ride took place in late October, and we were married six months later. But this time, the situation was bathed in prayer. Bob was a dedicated Christian who had his own set of bad marital experiences. During that six months, God worked amazing miracles of emotional healing and so united us that it was as if we had always been together. Next week, we will celebrate 42 years of marriage.

What have we learned during four decades of marriage? 1. Allow God to be your matchmaker. Forcing situations can result in disaster. 2. Pray throughout your courtship and follow God’s timeline and not yours. 3. Pray over all decisions, particularly those involving money. 4. Keep short accounts; forgive each other quickly and don’t hold grudges. 5. Share the challenges of your lives and pray for each other. 6. Pray prayers of protection over each other, particularly protection for physical, emotional, and spiritual protection. 7. Worship God together. 8. Take time to enjoy each other.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help all those who are married or considering marriage to seek Your Will first and to base their marriages on You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 2: 8 – 9, 15-17 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil… Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

The Garden of Eden was full of trees bearing all kinds of delicious fruit. And in the center of the Garden, there were two special trees, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Notice something: God never forbade Adam from eating the fruit of the tree of life. God specifically told Adam that he could eat the fruit from any tree, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Had Adam followed instructions, he might still be hanging around. But Adam didn’t eat the fruit from the tree of life; instead, he was sidling around the garden, tasting all the other fruit. Although men have traditionally blamed Eve for eating the fruit after the serpent tempted her, it’s quite likely that Adam was already eyeing that tree and wondering what would happen if he ate the fruit. People are strange; tell someone that something is forbidden and that is the very thing they will focus on.

These days, the term “bad-ass” has become a favorite term to describe anything of which the speaker approves. There are two things wrong with that term: first, why describe something you admire by calling it “bad” and second, why is it necessary to use the term “ass”? This term constitutes a mild form of swearing; is it necessary? Those who use this term remind me of little boys telling “fart” jokes-oh the thrill of being mildly risqué, circumventing polite language. It was likely that kind of thinking that led to Adam seriously considering trying the forbidden fruit just to see how it would taste. Adam just wanted to walk on the wild side for a bit.

At this point, you might be reacting, “Wait a minute! How do you know that the Garden of Eden-or Adam and Eve-ever existed? Isn’t this story simply an allegory? Personally, I believe the Bible story of Adam and Eve; however, no matter what you choose to believe, sin exists and people are still making wrong choices by pursuing forbidden fruit.   

I came of age just as birth control pills for women and legalized abortion became available. My medical school taught us that abortion was safer than childbirth. Those two events led to a vast increase in sexual promiscuity among women, allowing them to seize forbidden fruit. Please do not misunderstand; birth control drugs have helped millions of women around the globe plan their pregnancies so that they can safely care for their children. Abortion, on the other hand, is murder because life begins at the moment of conception. The shedding of innocent blood brings curses on a land, and those of us who have watched moral degradation in America since 1973 can testify to the truth of that statement. Women who have aborted pregnancies can find themselves dealing with a host of emotional problems over their choices, particularly if they later seek to get pregnant and are unable to do so.

Sexual promiscuity destroys marriages and relationships, shredding trust. There are other bad choices that are equally deleterious. For years, gambling was prohibited in most of the United States. When gambling became available in my part of the Middle West, one farm couple rushed off to the gambling boat, where they lost so much money they lost their farm. The next night, they returned to gamble further in hopes of getting their farm back. In Louisiana one baby sitter stopped by a video poker parlor, locking the two-year-old boy she was minding in the car on a hot day. When the woman returned to the car four hours later, the little boy was nearly dead from the heat and eventually died in the hospital. Another Louisiana woman murdered her parents to cover her gambling debts. Here in Ghana we have watched in horror as Chinese businessmen have established casinos in major cities and have even sent video poker machines to small villages. In some cases, children have skipped school to play these machines.

Proverbs 4:14, 18-19, 23 tells us, “Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not walk in the way of evil…The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble…Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

No matter what you think about the story of the Garden of Eden, there are two inescapable facts: sin has entered the world and all of us can choose to sin or to refrain from sin. Choose wisely!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to choose Your ways and not Satan’s. Help us to hide Your Word in our hearts so that we will not sin against You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.