NOT MY FAULT!

NOT MY FAULT!

Wednesday, February 19, 2020



  Again I’ve been hearing a lot of “Not my fault!”; sometimes an accurate analysis, but for the most part it is shifting blame to others present or past. Which brings us to the old question “How much of the fall of man is God’s fault?” Wasn’t it Him that tempted man by His locating the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil and of blessing and calamity” (AB Gen.3:17) conveniently in the midst of Adam and Eve’s garden home? And then there’s the business of God allowing their being exposed to “the serpent more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord had made.” (Gen.3:1)?

  Shouldn’t God have made the garden in Eden a place apart without opportunity for transgression?

  Reading and pondering: The LORD your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the LORD will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, when you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

The Choice of Life and Death “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”  (ESV Deut.30:9-20)

  Adam and Eve, and all since, have choice for truly embracing God’s agape love, or not! (Ex.20:6: Deut.5:10; 7:9; 11:1, 22; 19:9; 30:16; Joshua 22:5; Dan.9:4; Jn.14:15; 15:10; 1Jn.5:2-3)

  God’s John 1:12 children are to be emulating godly counsel by word and example, clearly explaining blessing and benefit versus calamity and consequence dire. (Garden exposure ours, this I labor at, explaining tree/serpent versus blessing/benefit. For instance, without demanding, I warn and provide Bible-centered reasoning upon request about THE SHACK, THE SECRET, and JESUS IS CALLING.) Thank God that He loves us so much that He grants us unequivocal option! 

  “Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. (MKJV Eph.6:10-18)  EBB4