Table of contents for Ye Have Heard It Was Said...

1. Ye Have Heard it Was Said…
2. Thou Shalt Not Kill
3. Reconciliation is More Important than Worship
4. Make Good As Soon as Possible
5. Thinking About Sex is the Same As Doing It
6. Better to Look Like a Mutant?

Here’s a passage that some use to criticize the Bible:

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. – Matthew 5:28-29

Some actually believe that Christ is recommending self-mutilation in these verses!

Christ is saying that if there’s anything that’s keeping you from doing what’s right, it needs to be dealt with—and to take radical means if necessary.  This is exactly the opposite of human nature.  Human nature wants to get as close to the line as it possibly can.

Think back to the story of Adam and Eve.  Where was Eve when the serpent came to her?  You see, I believe that even though the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was in the middle of the garden it could have been avoided if they wanted to avoid it.  They could have put up barriers, or created alternate routes.

Instead, Eve was near the tree and ready to be tempted—and that’s like most of us.  Whether it’s issues of modesty, or any other type of sin, we seek to be a little better than the culture, and we seek to get as close as we can to being wrong, and then we act surprised when we’re tempted.

What Jesus is saying in these verses is as radical as it sounds—if something’s going to cause you to stumble, don’t sit around…do something about it!

If the friends that you’re spending time with will cause you to fall, it’s time to separate from them.  If you’re having trouble with things on the Internet, pull the plug.  If you’re married and there’s a girl in your office that’s hitting on you, be blunt or find a different job.

Your spiritual life is not worth staying in a place because you think you can handle it or you believe that it’s permissible, but it’s on the borderline.

It’s not worth it.

Table of contents for Never Alone

1. Introduction
2. Adam
3. Jacob
4. Elijah

Adam.  The first man created by God.  We know very little about this man when compared to some of the other greats in the Bible.  And yet, by him we get the names for the animals, from his rib we have woman, and by him sin entered into the world.

And yet one of the first things that we learn about Adam was that God saw that it was not good for man to be alone. (Gen 2:18)

Adam was alone in the garden.  He was the only one of God’s creation without a partner.  All of the animals had partners, and as God brought them one by one for Adam to name he must have saw the look on Adam’s face to know that Adam was wondering where his partner was.

Was God not enough for Him?

This is a really good question.  God is supposed to be everything we need and more—so wasn’t God enough for Adam?

Man was created as a social being.  That means that he was created for interaction with others.  Though God is always enough, God was not going to be a like companion to Adam.  Adam needed an equal, a human like himself, a companion for life, so God created Eve.

Eve, a Special Creation

Eve was to be one flesh with Adam.  The first man did not have any trouble choosing a bride—she was the perfect bride for him.

Eve was taken from Adam’s side.  I’ve heard it said that it wasn’t from his head so that she could rule over him, or from his feet to be his slave, but from his rib to be his companion.

Eve made Adam no longer alone.  Through all of life, Adam had Eve.  Even after their sin got them kicked out of the Garden of Eden, Eve was still there, and though they were no longer perfect, they were still one.

How’s Your Relationship?

Are you taking advantage of your relationship with your spouse?  God created your spouse and brought them into your life to complete you.  He made her/him special, and they are to make it so that you would never be alone.

Adam didn’t leave Eve because it was “her fault” that they got kicked out of the garden.  They stuck together, and benefited from the companionship for their entire life.

How is your relationship with your spouse?  Have you thanked them lately for making it so that you’re never alone?

Table of contents for Never Alone

1. Introduction
2. Adam
3. Jacob
4. Elijah

A famous passage of Scripture. A famous poem. A parable and a prophet.

If there’s one thing on this earth that God wants us to know is that we are not alone. Those of us that have Jesus as our Savior have the promise that we’re never alone. We never go through trials alone. We never go through pain alone.

He was there first, and He will be there for us.

Over the next few posts, let’s look at some people who thought they were alone, and how God encouraged them, and was at work.