imported_rachel
03-08-2007, 08:31 AM
The first two chapters of the Bible tell how, "In the beginning God
created the Heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). God placed Adam in
the Garden of Eden and created Eve as his companion and helper. Life
in the garden was good, but it didn't take long for the deception of
the devil to really mess things up.
God had given Adam and Eve the freedom to eat from any tree in the
garden - any tree except one; "You must not eat from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely
die" (Genesis 2:17). God's instructions were clear and His
consequences for disobedience severe. But when the devil first
confronted Eve, he began by slightly changing God's Word in order to
cause doubt.
Genesis 3:1
"He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, "You must not eat from
any tree in the garden"?'"
This slight shift from a single tree to ANY tree put Eve immediately
on the defensive: "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but
God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the
middle of the garden'" (Genesis 3:2-3). The devil continued his
attack by giving Eve a different interpretation of God's Word: "You
will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes
will be opened, and you will be like God" (Genesis 3:4-5). Eve
clearly knew the truth; but without a firm conviction to obey at all
cost, she evaluated the merit of the devil's lie and, being unable to
refute his reasoning, gave in to sin.
In the several thousand years since that first confrontation, the
tactics of the devil are still pretty much the same. His attack
always begins with getting us to shift from the absolute nature of
God's Word, causing us to doubt and defend against his deception.
God's Word says: "Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have
eternal life" (John 3:16). But the devil says: "Did God really say
there is only one way? Surely God wants everyone to go to heaven and
will accept many beliefs as long as they are good and sincere." This
deception pulls people from God's path every day. Jesus clearly
said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me" (John 14:6). The one and ONLY way is Jesus!
If we are not firm in our conviction that God's Word is true, we too
will become vulnerable to the devil's attacks of doubt and will soon
begin to believe his twisted lies. God's Word says our most
important "duty" is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your
strength" (Mark 12:30). Let's prepare by studying His Word, praying
for wisdom to know His truth, and loving Him with our absolute
ALL. Let's hold firmly to God's Word and not be even slightly shaken
when the enemy asks: Did God really say?
Have a Great Day!
Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries
************************************************** ***
Archive of previous devotions : http://www.gdwm.org/archive06.htm
Subscribe/Unsubscribe by email to closerwalk@gdwm.org
Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm
created the Heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). God placed Adam in
the Garden of Eden and created Eve as his companion and helper. Life
in the garden was good, but it didn't take long for the deception of
the devil to really mess things up.
God had given Adam and Eve the freedom to eat from any tree in the
garden - any tree except one; "You must not eat from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely
die" (Genesis 2:17). God's instructions were clear and His
consequences for disobedience severe. But when the devil first
confronted Eve, he began by slightly changing God's Word in order to
cause doubt.
Genesis 3:1
"He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, "You must not eat from
any tree in the garden"?'"
This slight shift from a single tree to ANY tree put Eve immediately
on the defensive: "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but
God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the
middle of the garden'" (Genesis 3:2-3). The devil continued his
attack by giving Eve a different interpretation of God's Word: "You
will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes
will be opened, and you will be like God" (Genesis 3:4-5). Eve
clearly knew the truth; but without a firm conviction to obey at all
cost, she evaluated the merit of the devil's lie and, being unable to
refute his reasoning, gave in to sin.
In the several thousand years since that first confrontation, the
tactics of the devil are still pretty much the same. His attack
always begins with getting us to shift from the absolute nature of
God's Word, causing us to doubt and defend against his deception.
God's Word says: "Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have
eternal life" (John 3:16). But the devil says: "Did God really say
there is only one way? Surely God wants everyone to go to heaven and
will accept many beliefs as long as they are good and sincere." This
deception pulls people from God's path every day. Jesus clearly
said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me" (John 14:6). The one and ONLY way is Jesus!
If we are not firm in our conviction that God's Word is true, we too
will become vulnerable to the devil's attacks of doubt and will soon
begin to believe his twisted lies. God's Word says our most
important "duty" is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your
strength" (Mark 12:30). Let's prepare by studying His Word, praying
for wisdom to know His truth, and loving Him with our absolute
ALL. Let's hold firmly to God's Word and not be even slightly shaken
when the enemy asks: Did God really say?
Have a Great Day!
Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries
************************************************** ***
Archive of previous devotions : http://www.gdwm.org/archive06.htm
Subscribe/Unsubscribe by email to closerwalk@gdwm.org
Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm