Lessons I Learned From Eve’s Story

Genesis 3:1-19

1. Satan always tempts us with something that God has forbidden us to partake of.
2. Satan said just enough to cause Eve to doubt what she knew that God had told her.  Eve’s doubt caused her to be ungrateful for all that God had already provided.  Beware of Satan’s tactics.  He takes a lot of truth and mixes a lie with it to lure you into his trap of sin and disobedience.
3. Eve’s disobedience caused her to feel guilt and shame.  Sin holds us in bondage through guilt and shame, until we repent and ask God for forgiveness.   Sin causes a chasm between us and God.
4. Blame shifting is the result of not wanting to take personal responsibility for our actions.  Eve blamed the serpent for her disobedience and Adam blamed Eve.  They did not take personal responsibility for their actions.
5. The consequences of our sins are far reaching. Eve’s sin affected the entire human race.
6. One of the consequences of Eve’s sin was fear.  After Adam and Eve sinned, they hid from God because they were afraid.  Sin always brings out negative emotions.
7. God gives us direct and very clear instructions and commands.  There are no gray areas.
   Genesis 2:15-17
   ¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
   
8. No sin escapes punishment.  God will punish us for being disobedient.
   Romans: 6:23
   

   ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord
    Hebrews 10:26
   ²⁶ If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
   9. Even when we have sinned and strayed away, God still loves us.
   Hebrews 8:38

10. Just as God sacrificed an animal to cover Adam and Eve, so they would not be ashamed of their   nakedness, God sacrificed His Son whose blood covers us, and He forgives us of our sins.

We currently live in a world where so many are seeking fame and fortune.  With the success of technology, it has made reaching this goal a lot easier for the many who are seeking it.  It seems that the number of followers you have, and the number of likes that you have are part of this fame fury as well.  We can become Influencers, Podcasters and there are many other ways that we can literally drive our own vehicle of success.  Sometimes this can happen with one post if it’s the right post.

I think that it is fantastic that these opportunities are available for those who want to pursue them, however whether it’s this or something else that you have been blessed to be successful with, I encourage you to remain humble.  Sometimes when you are in the public eye that can be difficult to do.

You see Satan has a way of encouraging you to believe that you are totally responsible for the success that you are experiencing.  Thus, pride is born when you believe and take ownership of that thought process!  And by the way you do not have to be famous to be prideful, I am simply using that as an example.

When I looked up the definition of humility, I read that is a modest or low view of one’s own importance, it is humbleness.  The definition of pride however is polar opposite.  The definition of pride is the quality of having an excessively high opinion of oneself or one’s importance.

Now, I am not saying that we should not love ourselves or have great confidence.  I am also not saying that we should not strive to be successful in whatever endeavor we attempt.  I am simply saying that we should give credit where credit is due. Be very clear any opportunities or doors that have opened to you have been by the grace of God and please don’t forget that.

As Christians our goal should always be to be Christlike, and though he is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Christ remained humble.  To be Christlike is to exercise humility, it is to be humble.   Here are a few scriptures that talk about the humility of Christ.  Below that list are also a list of scriptures that address how there are blessings that come with humility.  May God bless you as you humble yourself before Him and strive to be more and more like Him each and every day.

Philippians 2:8
And being found in appearance as a man,  he humbled himself  by becoming obedient to death—
 even death on a cross!
Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!  Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,  righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey,   on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
John 13:5
⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Isaiah 50:6
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face  from mocking and spitting.
John 10:15
¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Matthew 26:37-39
³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
2nd Corinthians 8-9
⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Blessings Come with Humility
2nd Chronicles 32:24-30
²⁴ In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. ²⁵ But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. ²⁶ Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.
²⁷ Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. ²⁸ He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. ²⁹ He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.
³⁰ It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook.
2nd Chronicles 7:14
¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
James 4:10
¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Proverbs 15:33
Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord,  and humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 22:4
Humility is the fear of the Lord;  its wages are riches and honor and life.
Psalm 25:9
He guides the humble in what is right  and teaches them his way.
Luke 14:11
¹¹ For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Proverbs 27:2
Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.
Romans 12:3
³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
Psalms 149:4
For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.

A New Year, A Clean Slate 2024

As I write this morning, it is the day before we officially welcome in the 2024 New Year.  Many of you are preparing for your New Year Eve celebrations.

I spent an entire day yesterday preparing for a New Year’s meal for my family. This meal will consist of blackeye peas of course, which is a good old Southern tradition. Oh, and there will be rice, cabbage, okra, sweet potatoes and let’s not forget a delicious roast, cornbread and dessert.

As I am writing this it makes me wonder how many people will spend more time planning their New Year’s celebrations, than planning their New Year.
Because I have personally experienced the blessings of spending time with God, and consulting with Him for directions and guidance for the year, I truly want you to experience the same.
Here are a few of my suggestions for you to have a powerful and effective planning strategy for your New Year.
Take some time to really get still before the Lord and just listen.   If you are not used to being still before the Lord in total silence, you may feel like nothing is happening. Initially you will feel like you want to cut this session short. I encourage you to start with 10 minutes and work your way up to 15 minutes.   God will start to give you thoughts and ideas that will help point you in a direction that is best for you.  Just be patient.
Psalm 46:10
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;   I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Isaiah 30:21
21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Write your plans and goals down.  Put them in a place where you can review them daily.  Pray over them daily also.

There should be six areas of your life that you strive to grow better in, and they are:
Spiritual Goal – Ask yourself; How can you draw closer to God in 2024?  What areas have you not been willing to be totally obedient in?  How can I better serve God?   Get totally honest with yourself and God and decide how you will do better in the New Year.
Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Mental Goal
– Protect your mind by choosing to stay positive and to stay away from negativity.  Read something from God’s Word every day.  Also read books that motivate and inspire you.  Choose movies and TV shows that are good and positive, and that line up with your Christian values.
 Romans 12;2
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Physical / Health Goal
Set a goal to eat healthier and to get in more exercise in the New Year.  Be sure that you are getting adequate sleep each night.  Listen to your body. If you need to rest your body, do that.   Plan mini vacations if necessary for down time, just to catch your breath. Get your physicals and dental appointments on   schedule.
 1st Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.

1. Financial Goal
Save more, spend less.  Set a giving goal for your local church or the charitable foundation of your choice.  Tithing is always one of the best ways to honor God with your finances.  Do you have a retirement fund set up?  Do you have a financial advisor?  Make a decision to get your finances in order in 2024.
Mathew 6:24
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
 Luke16:11-12
11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
 Philippians 4:19
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 13:11
11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Career / Work Goal
What would you like to achieve in your work or career in 2024?   Write it down and be sure that you have a start and stop date. Without a start and stop date it’s just a dream.  Create a vision board for your life. Look at it every day.
Habakkuk 2:2
2 Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation  and make it plain on tablets  so that a herald[a] may run with it.

Home and Family Goals
What would you like to accomplish as a family this year?  Are there relationships that need to be repaired or reconciled?  What projects would you like to do as  a family?  Would you like to plan a family vacation together etc?  Would you like to have a family devotional and prayer time together?  Discuss your goals  as a family and write them down.
 1st Timothy 3:5
5 if anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?
Proverbs 22:6
6 Start children off on the way they should go,   and even when they are old they will not turn from it.  Colossians 3:13
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
 Galatians 6:2
2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Gratitude Goal – Set a goal to write down the ten things that you are most grateful for each day.  This is very important.  When you focus on the things that you are grateful for you complain less and you seek the good that can come from every situation.  Your gratitude blesses God.
Ephesians 5:20
20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 107:1
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Blessings for a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

What Do Our Christmas Traditions Symbolize?

Are you prepared for Christmas? Most of us are decorating, purchasing gifts, and baking our favorite holiday cookies by now.  We are all getting ready for the big day.

I thought that I would take a break for a minute or two and share what our Christmas traditions symbolize.  I hope that you will gain insight and joy, as you read why and how some of these very familiar traditions were started.
The Traditional Christmas Colors
The two traditional Christmas colors are red and green.  The color red represents the blood that Christ shed as he hung and died on the cross.
Green represents the everlasting life that we have access to because of Jesus’s death.
1 Peter 1:3
³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Colossians 1:19-22
¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of^[a] your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
The Christmas Tree
Most Christmas Trees are evergreen.  These trees can remain green in the most brutal of winters.  This represents hope. No matter what life throws at you when you know Christ there is hope.  Hope for the now and hope for the future. There is a story that says: when Christ was born the trees started to shake and snow fell from every tree and they all remained green, symbolizing that you can survive the most difficult of seasons.   The tree also represents the cross that Christ hung on.
Hebrews 9:12
¹² he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
 The Wreaths
The wreaths represent eternal love and rebirth which gives us eternal life.
Romans 8:35
³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
Romans 8:37-39
³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 5:11
¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
Romans 6:23
²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Star
The star represents the bright star that appeared when Christ was born.
Matthew 2:1-2
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[a] from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
 The Bells
The bells ring during Christmas to announce the birth of Christ.
The Red And White Candy Canes
Candy Canes represents the shepherd’s crook. Jesus was the Good Shepherd.  With his birth lost lambs could be bought back into the fold.
The color red in the candy cane represents the blood Christ shed on the cross.  The white represents purity. Christ was holy and without blemish.
1 John 3:3-5
³ And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
⁴ Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. ⁵ You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
Poinsettias
The poinsettia lives through the winter months and is actually known as the Christmas flower.  Their beautiful bright red color represents the blood of Christ and the shape of each flower is shaped like a star representing the star of Bethlehem.
The Holly Berries
Holly berries have leaves that are very prickly representing the crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus’s head.  The red color of the berries represents the blood he shed on the cross.
The Gifts 
The gifts that we give at Christmas, represents the gifts that the Wise Men brought to baby Jesus when they went to visit him.  Gifts also represents, the gift that God gave to the world when he sent his one and only Son to die a cruel death, so that we may have eternal life.
Matthew 2:11
¹¹ And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Ephesians 2:8-9
⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 6:23
²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:16
¹⁶ “For God so loved the world,^[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
The Ornaments
Ornaments were originally apples that were hung on the tree symbolizing the forbidden fruit. This was started in Germany around the 16th century.  Later ornaments became representative of a family’s interest, such as hobbies etc.. Today they are mainly for decoration.
The Mistletoe
Mistletoe is a parasitic plant. Parasitic plants live on what they become attached to.  Mistletoes are attached to trees, and without the tree the mistletoe would die.  Just as the mistletoe is dead apart from the tree, we are dead apart from Christ.   For this reason, the mistletoe has become the symbol of love.
Ephesians 2:1-10
2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
The Lights And Candles
Lights and candles are symbolic of Jesus being the Light of the world.  Apart from Jesus there would only be darkness.
May your Christmas be merry and bright, and may you hold close to your heart the reason for this season, which is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ!
John 8:12
¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
John 9:5
⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
1 John 1:5
⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
Revelation 21:23
²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Genesis 2:23-24
²³ 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.”
²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Matthew 19:4-6
⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’^[a] 5 and said, ‘For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[b]? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: ¹⁰ If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
Ephesians 5:22-27
²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ 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. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing^[a] her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
1 Peter 3:7
⁷ Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Colossians 3:18
¹⁸ Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

On November 27th of this year, my husband and I celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary.   Yes, thirty years!  As we approached our special date, I kept thinking where in the world has the time gone? How could thirty years have possibly flown by so quickly?

We have been so blessed to have shared thirty years of life.  As most couples we have had our ups and downs, we have had good days and days that were not so good.  We have laughed and we have cried. But through it all, I can still say that without question we have absolutely had more good days than bad days.

I know that our love for God has been the glue that has held us together when times were difficult. I truly believe that God has honored our commitment to Him and each other by blessing us with a good marriage.

My husband is truly my best friend and I know that I am his.  God knew exactly who we both needed to spend life with, and I am so grateful that He brought us together.  My prayer is that He will bless us with at least thirty more wonderful years together.

Here’s My 13 Tips For A Healthy Marriage

1. Marriage is a gift from God. Cherish and love the mate He has blessed you with.
2. Marriage is hard work.  It is not for the faint-hearted.  When things get tough, go to God in prayer together and seek His guidance to bring healing.
3. The couple that prays together stays together.
4. Marriage is not a 50/50 relationship. Sometimes it will be 70/30 or 40/60, maybe even 80/20, but with God’s help, you will get through it by taking one day at a time.
5. A good marriage is one of the best gifts that you can give to your children.
6. A loving marriage gets sweeter as the days, months, and years go by.
7. When God is truly the head of your marriage you can work through any difficulty.
8. When the marriage relationship is suffering, there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking good sound Christian counseling.
9. Abuse of any sort is never okay in a marriage or any relationship.
10. Make your marriage a priority. Keep dating, this says to your spouse that the relationship is important. It also brings joy to the relationship.
11. At some point in the marriage, you will have to forgive an offense by your mate, or you will be seeking forgiveness.  Be willing to forgive.
12. Never go to bed angry, try to resolve the issue if at all possible before bedtime.  Every moment with your spouse is precious, so don’t spend those precious moments fighting.
13. Never withhold sexual intimacy from your spouse, it will create resentment and frustration in the marriage.

In conclusion, I would like to say, that simply practice the Golden Rule in your marriage. Treat your spouse the way you would like to be treated.

Love them the way Christ loves, faithfully and unconditionally.
1 Corinthians 7:2-5
² But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. ³ The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. ⁵ Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.