We all have to fight the human desire “ to want to be like God”. Satan convinced Adam and Eve that eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would make them like God. They would know good and evil. The deception there was that Adam and Eve were already like God and they knew what was good and evil. On the day of man’s creation God said “ let us create man in our own image”. We were created in His likeness. Adam and Eve were created and shaped by Goodness. Goodness walked with them in the garden and gave them dominion over the earth. The “Good” they sought provided everything they needed in the Garden of Eden. They knew what was Good because they knew God.

Evil was revealed to them when God commanded them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve understood God’s command because they were able to repeat God’s word back to satan . They also knew evil when the serpent spoke words contrary to what God spoke… but Adam and Eve desired more. The Bible says Eve wanted the wisdom the tree could give. But Adam and Eve had all wisdom because God gave it to them. In that moment in the Garden Adam and Eve had one thing to hold on to, God’s word:

'but [only] from the tree of the knowledge (recognition) of good and evil you shall not eat, otherwise on the day that you eat from it, you shall most certainly die [because of your disobedience].” ' GENESIS 2:17 

From Adam to Abraham to Moses to David to Jesus and to You and I– we have one thing to hold on to and that is God’s word. If we consider satan’s tactics in the Garden of Eden the first thing he did was to attack God’s word. This is what happens to us today. The enemy attacks God’s word, wanting us to give in to his voice and not the Word of God. satan presents the deception intending for you and I to question God’s word. and His character.

satan tested Job believing that Job would curse God. satan was convinced that if God took everything away from Job, he would curse God. satan wanted Job to sin the same way he did, pridefulness. Pride would cause Job to curse God, because pride says I know what’s best for me God you don’t.

God blessed Job with every earthly possessions yet when It was taken away from him and he questioned God’s goodness. He complained that God punishes those with integrity and the wicked are allowed to live a long life.  I understand what it feels like to question the hand that you’ve been dealt. To wonder why you have to suffer in this way while the wicked prosper. To watch as those who turn away from God receive Good things while you are suffering.  There’s absolutely no rational understanding for this. We know God is just and that He gives to each man according to Their deeds. How can we explain the suffering of the righteous? How is it  possible for our human mind to comprehend God’s ways. The answer is— that we can’t.  Job did what many os us do when we fall into tributlations we want to know why.

We search for every answer trying to wrap our minds around understanding the occurrences in our life but we can’t. I don’t think we were ever intended to.  Just as God instructed Adam and Eve to refrain from eating from the tree of knowledge of Good and evil we are to refrain from trying to understand why. Searching for the “why” is a torturous exercise that leads to a dead end! satan convinced Adam and Eve that God’s words were not true “ you will surely not die”… satan convinced them that God’s command was to hinder them from becoming like Him, knowing both good and evil. Satan wanted Job to doubt God’s word, to doubt that His ways were blameless because of his suffering. I realize now that Adam and Eve’s sin hinders our capacity to not know. 

We seek out every answer to why the earth is the way it is. All God wants is for us to say, “ I trust you God”. I might not see where this is going but I trust in Your wisdom. Why can’t we trust God’s wisdom in times of adversity? We trust His wisdom when we are blessed but are lackluster in the midst of trials. I  fail to understand life and it’s occurrence. I know what it feels like to look to God and cry out without getting a response in that moment… to feel like you are the only one going through pain! To wonder why your life has to be this way. But just like Job came to his humility before God I’m doing the same.

When we understand that God is sovereign we can rest. The word rest has been resounding in my heart for over 3 years and I haven’t fully wrapped my mind around it. When I think about rest, I think of the Promised Land given to the children of Israel. I also think about the journey that they chose because of their unwillingness to obey God’s words. Many of them were prohibted from entering His rest because of their disobedience. The children of Israel were afraid to enter the promise land because they didn’t want to die. They were so focused on the opposition that they forgot all God did for them on the journey{ Psalm 95:11-12, Numbers:13 & 14]. May that not be the case for us… May we not miss out on all of God’s promises because of fear and the need to know.

'And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them? Do not rebel against the Lord , and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”' Numbers 14:9,11  NLT
'For forty years I was angry with them, and I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”' Psalms 95:10-11 NLT

The devil convinced Adam and Eve that they were missing out on something because God told them not to eat of this particular tree. When in reality God gave them everything they needed. The children of Israel cried to go back to Egypt because of the giants in the land. They were willing to trade freedom for bondage. May we never trade God’s best for us for what we think we need.

God is calling us to rest.. We rest because of WHO HE IS and what HE SAYS not because of WHAT WE SEE, FEEL OR THINK WE NEED TO KNOW. Entering God’s rest has to go beyond our now. There will come an eternal rest and only those that obey His Word will enter. For Adam and Eve they were removed from God’s rest( Garden of Eden- a type of rest) because of their disobedience. Be aware of the devices of the enemy to decieve you into disobedience and rebellion.

'God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. ' Hebrews 4:1-3,6 NLT

Let us imitate Jesus who knew the will of Our Father and dedicated His life to fulfilling it. If there is something we should pursue knowing is”God what is your will?” We will know His will by knowing God’s Word.

Lord, today I thank you that you never change. You were and are the same God in Garden of Eden, on the journey to the Promised land, in the Garden of Gethsamne and today! I pray that everyone who reads this blog will be convicted of the truth that your ways are blameless. That this truth will cause us to seek and pursue rest, resting in YOUR CHARACTER. That we will find truth in Your Word and it will set us free. Regardless of where we are in our individual lives reveal yourself to us in a deeper way. May we have the face-to-face commune You desire. May we put aside the need to know and take up a die hard trust in the maker of heaven and earth! May we eat your word because our life depends on it. Lord, we love you and thank you for being CONSTANT! In Jesus’ name Amen

Love you all with the Love of Jesus! Let’s truly pursue God’s way together, at all costs!

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