Genesis proved to be filled with amazing revelation, just waiting for me. I know God is leading me.

This footnote from a page in my bible sort of sums up the book:

"The book of Genesis gives us rich descriptions of the lives of many great men and women who walked with God. They sometimes succeeded and often failed, yet we learn much by reading the biographies of these people. Where did they get their motivation and courage? They got it by realizing God was with them despite their inadequacies. Knowing this should encourage us to be faithful to God, to rely on Him for guidance, and to utilize the potential He has given us."

So I learned that most(all) of the people in Genesis were like me. Imperfect. Filled with inadequacies. They sometimes succeeded and often failed. And they loved God. And God loved them and used them to do great things.

I know He is preparing me to share some things. Some personal life lessons. Some struggles. Testimony of sometimes succeeding and often failing. Testimony of some things lost and some things found in my pursuit of Him.

For now, I begin Exodus! The exciting story of God's guidance!

Lord, help me to read with the determination to follow You wherever You lead me.

Do you know where He is leading you? Ask Him. He still speaks. :-)

Noise in the Garden

I have started reading my bible from the beginning once again. I have started this several times but haven't ever finished reading it all the way through chronologically. I usually get lost somewhere in the so-and-so begot so-and-so's, you know? :-) Then I start skipping around and re-reading all my favorites....Esther, Isaiah, Ruth, Psalms......

So here I am, back in Genesis once again. In the beginning. And right away God began speaking. I love it when that happens. :-)

Check out Chapter 3. Temptation. You know.., the part where it's all the woman's fault. (smile)

There was some "noise" in the garden. A voice other than the Lord's. And what did Eve do?

- She listened to the voice (of the enemy)

- She agreed with and believed it

- She acted on it

How often are we swayed by voices other than the voice of the Lord? How often do we allow the voice of the enemy to convince us of something contrary to the Word of God?

Eve had everything she could ever want or need! I mean, she was in THE GARDEN!! She was QUEEN of THE GARDEN! She walked with the Lord!! Literally! There was only one thing she couldn't have! The voice of the enemy will remind you or bring to your attention the one thing you don't have and cause you to forget the blessings all around you.

I can just hear the conversation.

"What? God said you can't eat the fruit from THAT tree? Why not? What??...he said don't even touch it? OMG!! That is ridiculous! It won't hurt you! You will SURELY not die! What's the big deal? In fact, if you do eat the fruit from that tree, it will make you like God! You NEED that fruit! "

After listening to the serpent, Eve started thinking maybe the fruit wasn't so bad for her after all. She probably began to desire it, want it. Why? Because she listened to the voice of the enemy. And she forgot the Word from the Lord.

Verse 6 says she SAW the tree.....she began to look at it and think about it. She saw that it was good for food. She saw that it was pleasant to the eyes. She saw a tree desirable to make one wise.

How many times has God told us "don't touch it", "it's not for you", "stay away" ? And the more we look at it, the more we think about it, the fainter His voice becomes. Until finally we have convinced ourselves that He must have been mistaken or maybe we didn't hear Him right, or ....SURELY this won't hurt me. In fact, really, we NEED this.

Hmmmm.....

So we begin to doubt God and His word to us as the final authority. As did Eve. And once she acted in disobedience, a separation occurred. Her relationship with God changed. You know the story.

But it's my story, too. I have chosen many times to listen to something or someone telling me things contrary to what I knew was God's word to me. But I am learning to hear God above the noise. I am learning to hear Him through the noise, and in the noise. But even when I hear Him, I have to choose to disregard the voice of the enemy, because inevitably, it comes. And I have to choose to believe God and His word over anything else. Over the adversary, over my flesh, over "logic", over my emotions, over my friends or families opinions, over other "Christians" opinions, or over anything that proves to be contrary to His word to me.

I cherish my relationship with Him. I WANT to hear Him. I WANT to obey. He is my hope, my strength, my redeemer, my help.......

Teach me to listen, Lord. And help me to obey.

"Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me. For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day." (Psalm 25:4-5)