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| Topic: 999 Trees | |
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Edited by
MichaelATL44
on
Tue 04/07/09 08:43 AM
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999 Trees
How do you tempt perfect people? Adam & Eve were perfect people. They lacked nothing. So how was it that Satan was able to tempt them? I mean, he couldn't tempt them with adultery. There was no one else to commit adultery with. He couldn't tempt them with money, there was none. He couldn't tempt them with material things either. Adam & Eve had everything they could possibly want. So how was it then that they were able to be tempted? He tempted them by deceiving them to believe that they were lacking something. He used trickery to convince them to partake in the one and only thing they were forbidden to eat. He successfully persuaded them to fall into sin by purposefully routing their attention away from all the wonderful things they already had, and directed their focus onto the one and only thing that they didn't. Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: Genesis 3:1-4 Let's assume, for the purpose of discussion, that God had created 1,000 luscious fruit bearing trees and placed Adam & Eve in the middle of them. And the only stipulation was to avoid one of the trees in the middle of the Garden. That would mean they had full and complete access to 999 of the other trees. What if Satan had rephrased his question? What if he had stated it like this: "Has God said that you can only eat of 999 trees?" I think if he had posed this question in this manor, Adam & Eve's focus would have been directed to the vast amount of trees they did have permission to eat instead of the one tree that they didn't. Isn't this exactly the way he tempts us today? I can attest to the fact that he uses this same tactic on me, often. Many more times that I am willing to admit I allow my thoughts to drift towards all of the things that I do not have in my life, rather than all of the things that I do. One of the quotes that has always stuck with me is as follows: Happiness is not having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have. Today my friend, I encourage you to take a personal inventory of all of the wonderful things God has already provided in your life. Everything we have is a gift from God. He is a good God. Instead of dwelling on something, or someone that's missing, point those internal binoculars of yours in the direction of everything that you do have. I think you'll soon discover that you have already been blessed beyond measure. I know I have, and today, I choose tho think on these things. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8 As a single man, I can honestly say that there is one fruit that is missing in my life. I don't think I need to point out what that one fruit is. However, today I choose to praise God for everything that He is and everything He has done for me. Yes there is one tree that I cannot eat from at this time, but Thank you Jesus that there are 999 trees from which I can! My friend, I ask you this today.....Are you satisfied with 99.9%? I love you brothers and sisters, Michael |
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999 Trees
How do you tempt perfect people? Adam & Eve were perfect people. They lacked nothing. So how was it that Satan was able to tempt them? I mean, he couldn't tempt them with adultery. There was no one else to commit adultery with. He couldn't tempt them with money, there was none. He couldn't tempt them with material things either. Adam & Eve had everything they could possibly want. So how was it then that they were able to be tempted? He tempted them by deceiving them to believe that they were lacking something. He used trickery to convince them to partake in the one and only thing they were forbidden to eat. He successfully persuaded them to fall into sin by purposefully routing their attention away from all the wonderful things they already had, and directed their focus onto the one and only thing that they didn't. Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: Genesis 3:1-4 Let's assume, for the purpose of discussion, that God had created 1,000 luscious fruit bearing trees and placed Adam & Eve in the middle of them. And the only stipulation was to avoid one of the trees in the middle of the Garden. That would mean they had full and complete access to 999 of the other trees. What if Satan had rephrased his question? What if he had stated it like this: "Has God said that you can only eat of 999 trees?" I think if he had posed this question in this manor, Adam & Eve's focus would have been directed to the vast amount of trees they did have permission to eat instead of the one tree that they didn't. Isn't this exactly the way he tempts us today? I can attest to the fact that he uses this same tactic on me, often. Many more times that I am willing to admit I allow my thoughts to drift towards all of the things that I do not have in my life, rather than all of the things that I do. One of the quotes that has always stuck with me is as follows: Happiness is not having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have. Today my friend, I encourage you to take a personal inventory of all of the wonderful things God has already provided in your life. Everything we have is a gift from God. He is a good God. Instead of dwelling on something, or someone that's missing, point those internal binoculars of yours in the direction of everything that you do have. I think you'll soon discover that you have already been blessed beyond measure. I know I have, and today, I choose tho think on these things. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8 As a single man, I can honestly say that there is one fruit that is missing in my life. I don't think I need to point out what that one fruit is. However, today I choose to praise God for everything that He is and everything He has done for me. Yes there is one tree that I cannot eat from at this time, but Thank you Jesus that there are 999 trees from which I can! My friend, I ask you this today.....Are you satisfied with 99.9%? I love you brothers and sisters, Michael  interesting
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Excellent post!!
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interesting
I am glad you enjoyed it. Excellent post!!
Thank you. Thank you kindly. God is a good God! |
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