I HAVEN'T DISAPPEARED! WILL RETURN SOON!!

I have not forgotten or walked away from this Bible Study,

 I promise!!

The past few weeks has taken me all over the place, and the next couple of months are going to be just as hectic. 

 

Keep checking this site because

I will return to posting as soon as I can, I PROMISE!!!

 

Meanwhile, I pray that You will be showered with

God's Blessings!!!

 

 

WEEK 14 - THAT CRAFTY LITTLE DEVIL

WEEK 14

“THE BEAUTY & FALL of Ms. EVIE”

PART THREE… ‘THE FALL’ 

CHAPTER TWO:  “THAT CRAFTY LITTLE DEVIL!!!”

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:  I have truly enjoyed writing PART ONE & TWO on our subject of EVE. Knowing all along the contents of PART THREE was going to be more of a stretch for me in going deeper to understand further about the SERPENT, the TEMPTATION and the FALL of the First Couple. I didn’t look at it as a dread to write, but knowing more than ever before, I would totally have to allow God to guide my thoughts of how He wants this part to be revealed to me, and then to you as the reader. I have been writing Bible studies for over 8 years now and never before have I put more prayer and relied on God more to give me the words than I have in this study!  It has proven to be a deeper challenge for me than anything I have ever written, but rewarding beyond words.

I want to thank you the reader for following this study and thanks to those of you who have given me much needed words of encouragement and prayers!  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!

***************

   We now come to what some consider being the most important chapter of the Bible, and I believe this to be true as well. Genesis 1-2 finds Man in innocence; everything is beautiful, in heavenly harmony and of perfect perfection, and there’s an unhindered intimacy between God and Man. But if you skip over Chapter 3 and begin reading in Chapter 4 of Genesis through to Revelation you will read about jealousy, anger, murder, lying, wickedness, corruption, rebellion, judgment, and so much more evil!  So where did “sin” begin? You’re right, Chapter 3!

   Here we learn of the…
   *  beginning of the fallen and ruined condition of present humanity.
   *  crafty devises of the enemy…the devil!
   *  powerlessness of Man to walk in the path of righteousness when divine grace is withheld from him (J. Vernon McGee - ‘Thru the Bible’)
 

   *  effects of sin

   *  fleeing from God
   *   cover up of moral shame

   *  fellowship being broken

   *  love and caring that God still has for Man

 

GENESIS 3

Genesis 3:1a  ‘Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made…’   (NIV Bible)

Some Bible translations refer to the ‘serpent’ as the… ‘tempter’.

POINT ONE…. “WHO WAS THE ‘SERPENT’?”

 

   What was this creature that began all corruption?  It is clear that it was an actual animal, wild animal to be exact, as it says in Genesis 3:1a… ‘Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made…’   

 

   I truly do not believe that God created something ‘in the beginning’ (when He was creating the animals, Gen 1:24-25) that would be this horrible as in misleading Man, speaking convincing lies or be a tempter that would lead to human devastation (the curse Gen 3: 14-19). If you read these two verses, Gen 3:24-25, at the end of verse 25 it says… “And God saw that it was good.”  So, if He saw that His creation was pleasing, He wouldn’t have created such a serpent as we hear about in Chapter 3. So therefore, it’s to my belief this serpent was not created in such a way to bring such desolation to Man, even if it originally was in the ‘wild animal’ family of animals. The lying and deceiving in such a creature came about as the result of the evil devil entering its spirit. The serpent was used by another power that we learn to be satan himself.

Therefore, “the devil, or Satan”, is later referred to as “that ancient serpent” in Rev 12:9; 20:2. He insinuated a falsehood and portrayed rebellion as clever, but essentially innocent, self-interest. (NIV Bible footnotes)

READ Job 1:7…  What had satan been doing? ___

 

Why then do we associate the ‘serpent’ as to a snake? ____

 Serpent’… The Hebrew word is… nachash, meaning “snake”   

Was the serpent a snake as we know a snake from the beginning or after his job was done and God cursed it? ____

READ Genesis 3:14. How did God curse the serpent? ____

The serpent, Satan's tool, is cursed (Genesis 3:14), and becomes God's illustration in nature of the effects of sin--from the most beautiful and subtle of creatures to a loathsome reptile! The deepest mystery of the atonement is intimated here. (Scofield Notes)

    We typically understand the serpent (nachash) in the resemblance of a snake; but this creature was not the slithering snake as we know of it today. In the Genesis account of the serpent will later be condemned to crawling on its belly, an obvious reference to the life-style of a physical snake. We will be covering more of this later on in the study.

 

POINT TWO…. “SATAN ENTERS!”  

Was it of the serpent’s nature to be evil or did evil come in with the entering of satan into the world?

   As we’ve just discussed, it looks like the serpent was of good nature until satan took over its body. Let’s see what a couple of great men of God has to say…

Thoughts from Great Theologians…

Whether it was only the visible shape and appearance of a serpent (as some think those were of which we read, Exodus 7:12), or whether it was a real living serpent, actuated and possessed by the devil, is not certain: by God's permission it might be either. The devil chose to act his part in a serpent because it is a subtle creature. (Matthew Henry Commentary)

Whether it was only the appearance of a serpent, or a real serpent, acted and possessed by the devil, is not certain. The devil chose to act his part out in a serpent, because it is an intelligent creature. It is not improbable, that reason and speech were then the known properties of the serpent. And therefore Eve was not surprised at his reasoning and speaking, which otherwise she might have been. (John Wesley’s Commentary) 

 

   What these two theologians are saying is… whatever the creature was to begin with; the spirit of the devil possessed it and acted through it.  Satan borrowed this creature of which ‘Lord God had made…’  And in his borrowed form may not have been as a writhing reptile at that time, but under God’s curse became a creature that would… “crawl on your belly and you will eat dust.”. (Gen. 3:14)  Becoming into like a snake form was the effect of the curse. The creature which lent itself to satan may well have been the most beautiful as was the most "subtle" of creatures less than man, after all, remember the Lord ‘had made it’, and Eve was not afraid of it nor surprised of its voice, reasoning and pleasantness, which otherwise she may have been.

 

POINT THREE…. “IS THE CRAFTY CREATURE  STILL WITH US TODAY???”

‘Crafty’….  skillful, clever, cunning, evil schemes, deceitful, sly (Ding Dictionary)

   The acknowledgment of the ‘serpent’s’ characteristics of being; cunning and deceitful, and the ability to speak, suggests it was more than an ordinary member of the animal kingdom, but not in the least supernatural being. We typically understand the serpent (nachash) of Genesis 3 as satan in the appearance of a serpent—therefore, as a member of the animal kingdom. ‘…of the wild animals the Lord God had made.

   The use of ‘crafty’ not only means cunning and deceitful, etc., but it also suggest that it was clever and skillful and with much wisdom; used in a negative and evil way no less! Nothing short of being satan himself!

 

NOTEWORTHY: This crafty serpent has a long list of appearances, such as… deceitfulness, malicious and corrupt powers; just to name a few!!! 

Would you say that satan is the same today? ____

READ 2 Corinthians 11:14. What is Satan described as? ____

 

   Satan is the prince of darkness but parades himself as the price of light to give the impression of all things good. But we know he is the prince of sin and destruction, so why is it so easy to fall for his lies and false promises???

 So far, to name a few, we have identified this crafty one as a…

·       serpent

·       wild animal

·       tempter

·       snake

·       satan

·       devil

·       intelligent creature

·       influence of the forces of evil of which Man fell into

Do we not see the same inexplicable presents surrounding our own lives and in the world today?  Satan fighting against us for destruction and death in our lives!

 

Do not be victim of satan’s schemes. There is hope:  READ 2 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Timothy 5:15

The Message Is…

·       With no introduction, the serpent appeared in Paradise. This is the first mention in Scripture of anything outside of what Adam and Eve had ever experienced before.

·       This serpent appeared to be something fascinating and friendly to the First Couple, but under the skin where no sight could be seen…ever bit loathsome and evil lived! Neither Adam or Eve saw the danger embodied in the voice of this wicked one.  

·       This creature had remarkable ability, otherwise how could Adam and Eve have fallen for its lies?!

·       The personality of this serpent belongs slithering on the ground like a snake, which is used to describe evil persons or nations… “He’s lower than a snake’s belly!”

·       The tempter was the devil, in the shape and likeness of a serpent. Satan's plan was to draw our first parents to sin, and so to separate between them and their God. Thus the devil was from the beginning a murderer, and the great mischief maker. (Matthew Henry’s Commentary)

 

1^st MEMORY STATEMENT FOR THE WEEK…Matthew 4:10… ‘The Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.”

 

2^nd MEMORY STATEMENT FOR THE WEEK…Luke 22:31… “Simon, Simon, look out! Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.”

 

3^rd MEMORY STATEMENT FOR THE WEEK…Fill in the blanks from Acts 26:10 when Jesus says… “…to _____ their eyes so they may _________ from ______________ to ___________ and from the ___________ of Satan to ___________, that by ________ in ______ they may receive __________________ of __________ and a ______________ among those who are _______________.”

 READING ASSIGNMENT: JOB chapters 1-2

 

Have this assurance this week.... “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”!   Romans 16:20

 

cj

3-20-13

 

P.S. I know the word 'satan' is a proper word and should be capitalized, however, I do not wish to give satan the credit of honor by capitalizing its given name other than when I'm quoting the wording of the Bible or in use of reference from someone else's written words.

 

 

 

 

 

WEEK 13 - "EVE, OOOH MS EVIE!"

WEEK 13

“THE BEAUTY & FALL of Ms. EVIE”

PART THREE… ‘THE FALL’ 

CHAPTER ONE:  “EVE, OOOH MS EVIE!”

RECAP FROM the BEGINNING

The Account of the Beginning of All Life:

·       In the Beginning…Before Everything & Anyone (Genesis 1)

·       In the Beginning God...One Divine Power (Genesis 1)

·       In the Beginning God created Heaven and Earth…Purposely Planned (Genesis 1)

·       In the Beginning God created Man… To Multiply his own kind (Genesis 1-2)

·       In the Beginning God created Man… for the Purpose of Fellowship with Man (Genesis 2)

 

What Was the Message?? 

·       “And God said…” God SPOKE and it HAPPENED! (READ Ps. 33:6-9)

·       “Let there be…”  God is in CONTROL!  (READ John 1:1-4)

·       And it was so…”  God is the God of POWER, WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING!  (READ Jeremiah 10:12)

·       “And God saw that it was good…”  God is in LOVE with His Creations! (READ Ps. 145:17)

·       “God breathed life into Man’s nostrils the breath of life…” God is LIFE! (READ Isaiah 25:1)

   Our God had a plan from the beginning of time for everything and for each of us! We were created for a reason… READ Jer. 29:11

Also READ Colossians 1:17…Who holds us together??

POINT ONE…. “THE PURPOSE of EVE”

   Eve was created to walk beside Adam as a helpmate in the Garden. (refer back to Chapter Five, WEEK FIVE in our study) She and Adam were to fulfill God’s purpose for mankind. Adam could not have done all that had to take place on his own. She was created to fill a unique and special role in the history of time. But, we also know Eve was the one who caused the change in humanity’s life course that all who came after her would live under.

 LOL>>>From the Funny Side of My Comic Brain:                                                

I have often said, once I get to heaven one of the first people I want to sit down and have a long conversation with is Ms Evie!!  I have soooo many questions on my list to ask and discuss with her!  My first question will probably be… “Girl, what in the world was you thinking???!!! Did that ‘apple’ look all that good that you were willing to take the risk of losing so much? I hope you know by now that, that apple deal just peels us to the core!!!” LOL!

OK, BACK TO BEING SERIOUS:

   Seriously, if you could have a one-on-one conversation with Ms Evie would you ask her about…

·       the Garden of Eden

·       what was the best thing she liked about the Garden

·       what it was like walking in close fellowship with God in the Garden

·       the ‘serpent’ and how that all came about  

·       how she felt to be tempted

·       what were her emotions really like moments afterwards when she realized she had sinned?

These are some of the questions I'd actually like to ask the 'First Lady.'
   

Do you think Eve felt the way we feel after we knowingly disobey God? After we have fallen into temptation and sinned?

   Although Eve is the mother of us all, we know very little about the “First Lady.” However, we all know the story and it didn’t have a pleasant ending, did it? As we begin Part Three, and the last of, ‘The Beauty & Fall of Ms Evie’, you will probably see some things in Eve that brings about resemblance of yourself. I know I did! God is bringing to my attention some things (sins) in my life as I type out His messages on these pages.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: {Ever since I began writing Bible studies some ten years ago now, the message God gives has always been for me first. These messages are meant to filter through my life before anyone ever reads any of the words given to me! Insomuch as, He sees this as a way to work on me first! And sometimes, it’s rather hard for me to write words for you to read when all the time God is using those same words to speak into my life!!}

   As we continue on with this last part of Ms Evie’s life we’ll see a very human portrait of…

·       greediness - desiring more

·       weakness

·       temptation

·       falling for lies

·       shame

·       running from God

·       trying to hide sin

·       blaming someone else instead of taking responsibility

·       death of spiritual lives 

   We’ll see the process of…

·       picking up the pieces of a life and trying to put it back together

·       living with the consequences of choices

·       love of births

·       jealousness that lead to a death of a physical life.

Does any that are mentioned in the above portrait paint a picture of you? Ouch!

   Down through the ages Eve has been label as being greedy and controlling, and she has been branded with the blame… “Because of giving into temptation, it is all Eve’s fault for our suffering!”  Is this a true statement??

NOTEWORTHY:  There was something very special Adam and Eve had with God before ‘the fall’ that was broken once sin entered; a bond that would not have been broken otherwise. Nevertheless, did God totally walk away from them? Does He walk away from us when we have sinned and fallen short of His plan for us?

   After this next segment of the study of Eve, I hope you’ll be able to see your own life through a renewed light!

   Next week we’ll begin in Genesis 3:1 with Chapter 14, titled… “THAT CRAFTY LITTLE DEVIL!”  I promise, you don’t want to miss these last few Chapters!

   Open your heart this week and ask God to speak to you. Allow Him to prepare your heart for what He has for you in these last few weeks on the study of Eve.

cj

3/13/13

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WEEK 12

“THE BEAUTY & FALL of Ms. EVIE”

PART TWO… ‘WHAT’S IN PARADISE?’ 

Continuing CHAPTER SEVEN:  “TWO TREES EDEN”

 

“THE TREE of  KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL”

Genesis 2:16-17  …“And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

The TREE of KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL… If the EVIL means understanding the knowledge of EVIL, than what is the GOOD? _____

Simple; The GOOD is having the knowledge of knowing the difference!

POINT ELEVEN…. “COMMAND or FREEDOM TO CHOOSE?”

   Let’s go back to our Text Verse:  “And the LORD God ‘commanded’ the man…”

   It reads… “God ‘commanded’ not to eat…”   A command is what it is…a command! God is saying… “Do not eat from this particular tree, if you do you will pay and live with the consequences!”

Did Adam and Eve have freewill to disobey God? ____

It’s very clear they had freewill; it was the choice they made within the freewill that landed them cursed and thrown out of The Garden.

Bing Dictionary defines freewill as… made of one’s own accord

   If they did not have freewill for disobeying or staying true to God’s commands, there wouldn’t be the story written about the “Fall of Man!” 

   Our God is a God Who knows all. He knew what Adam and Eve were going to do, just as He knows what we are going to do, react and become before it happens.

Could He have physically preventing Adam and Eve from eating of the tree?

   Our God is a God Who can do all, but I see it as God allowing them to come into themselves as to who they were going to be… disobedient… just as God allows us to come into ourselves to make our own choices.

Are the choices we make always His choice for us??

NO!  Nevertheless, we make them…be they right or wrong.

NOTEWORTHY:   Man was put in the Garden to worship God and to obey Him. Man’s life in the Garden was to be regarded as worship and obedience, but when Man broke the command and disobeyed God, he paid the cost.

SIN: Evil and sin did not originate with God. Adam and Eve were created innocent and with the capacity to make choices. Sin entered the world at a specific place and time in history. Adam and Eve chose freely to disobey God, fell from innocence, and lost their freedom. Their sinful nature has passed to every other human being. Sin resulted in death, both physical and spiritual. Sin has led to a world of pain and struggle. (Holman Christian Standard Bible Commentary)

Does God STILL give us freewill to OBEY or DISOBEY His commands? ___

   Yes. However, the wrong choices we make in our disobedience will cause us pain, disorder in our lives, fears, troubled worries, etc., to some degree-either right away or later on in life.

“Touch it at your peril.” Phrased by Matthew Henry  (Peril meaning… risk, jeopardy, danger.)

   SIMPLY PUT… The two trees in the Garden gave Man a choice of two things… A LIFE or DEATH!!! Rewards for choosing to OBEY; sad consequences for choosing to DISOBEY!

 POINT TWELVE…. “KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL”

   God told Adam and Eve the consequences right from the beginning … Eat from the Tree of Knowledge and die. Enjoyment of God’s good land was contingent on Man “keeping” God’s commandments.

Why did God forbid them from eating from this particular tree?

   If you said something like… “It conveyed divine wisdom of what was good and evil and God wanted them not to know evil.” You are correct.

   The Hebrew word for evil is — ra’  — which means misery, woe, grief, or harm and more. It leads to something extremely sorrowful, unpleasant and loss.

A CJisum…. Disobedience was an act of Adam and Eve’s rejection of God’s will for their lives. The fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was the source of wisdom, knowledge of right from wrong, and their choice to pursue this wisdom was apart from God.  

Is this not us today??

POINT THIRTEEN …. “A MESSAGE OF FREEDOM”

   We invite Christ to enter our hearts and break the bonds of sin. When Christ enters our life, He gives us new life and sets us free of sin!  

Will we still be tempted by sin?

   Yes, but through Jesus, He gives us empowerment within, to resist sin and not fall into temptation - if we would only grab-hold to that enablement (empowerment) each time! Temptation happens when sin presents itself in means that we see and feel it will satisfy our desires in a self-serving way. However, God still allows us to choose between right and wrong. READ 1 John 3:7-9

A CJisum…. Even though the Bible throughout its pages warns us about the consequences of sin, and the impact it will have on our lives, it also provides a message of freedom and hope - that forgiveness and healing are available to us when we acknowledge and repent our wrongdoings to the God who dearly loves to forgive!

POINT FOURTEEN…. “WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM OUR WRONG CHOICES?”

   Living with the consequences of our wrong choice should teach us to...

·       Think about the consequences before acting upon a temptation

·       Pray first and learn to listen to our inner heart, which is God, to make better choices in the future

·       Grow stronger and deeper in our faith
 

AND THE MESSAGE IS???

The Message Is…

·     Adam and Eve had personal fellowship with God as the three walked together through the Garden of Paradise…Garden of Eden. They lived their lives without knowledge of the meaning of sin, because they had no sin in their lives. They had no reservations about anything until they disobeyed.

·     God’s heart’s desire for Adam and Eve was that their lives to be one of serenity and happiness and free from bonds.

·     God told Adam and Eve the consequences right from the beginning … “Eat from the Tree of Life and live and have a blessed life. Eat from the Tree of Knowledge and be cursed and die.”

·     Eating from this fruit brought Awareness to Adam and Eve of their disobedience…of their sin! 

·     We have a Message of Freedom through Christ Jesus!

·     Learn from your wrong choices and past sins!

1^st MEMORY STATEMENT… I know I have freewill to make a choice, and knowing I long to always do God’s will, therefore, I will commit to seek His will in all choices!

2^nd MEMORY STATEMENT… “Lord God, help me to think about the consequences before acting upon a temptation, and that I will learn to pray first and listen to my inner heart, which is You O God, so I will make better choices in the future as I grow stronger and deeper in my faith.”

READING ASSIGNMENT for the WEEK…Deuteronomy 30:11-20

   I look forward to seeing you back here next week when we will be going into PART THREE of the “THE BEAUTY & FALL of Ms. EVIE” titled… “THE FALL”  

   My prayer is that God will make us more aware of all the disobedience in our lives every day so we can live a more righteous life for Him and as an example before others!

Blessings,

cj

3/6/13