Eve's temptation

Take a look at these Old and New Testament verses and see if you think there are any parallels to the temptation of Eve in the garden.

1 John 2:15-16
15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

Genesis 3

5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate

Compare the wording between the 1 John and Genesis.

Lust of the flesh / saw that the tree was good for food

Lust of the eyes / it was a delight to the eyes

Boastful pride of life / the tree was desirable to make one wise (tempted that she would be like God, knowing good and evil)


Based on this comparison do you think the three things mentioned in 1 John are the same worldly temptations that led Eve into sin?

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)
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Anxious about the United States fiscal cliff, the European debt crisis or even Wall Street?

No matter what happens in the economy or how much gasoline cost, God is still able to provide for His children. He created the moon and the stars and hung the earth on nothing. He made the land and the seas and all that swims in it. He causes the eagle to soar and gave it skill to hunt from on high. 

God power is great. God ability to provide for His children is not limited by what happens on earth. Make it your first priority to seek after His righteousness and His kingdom and your needs will be met. (if you want to become God's child right now go to this link. http://nasb-audio-bible-in-a-year.blogspot.com/p/salvation-how-can-i-be-saved-and-go-to.html )

Matthew 6:25-34

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)
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David - Gaining hope when alone and afraid

In 1 Samuel 21 David had such a time. David was alone.  He was alone  and fleeing from King Saul with no one to help him. He was at his wits end. He must have been desperate since he fled to Gath. David in the past had killed Goliath. And Gath was the town where Goliath had lived. He ran the risk of being recognized by the Philistines in Gath as a great warrior. And someone did recognize him. 

1 Samuel 21

10 Then David arose and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish king of Gath. 11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,

And David his ten thousands’?”

12 David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath.

Great fear gripped David. He was alone. He had no brother or sister in the Lord to encourage and strengthen him. But David encouraged himself. David speaks about at least two things he did to encourage himself in this situation. David mentions this time in his life in Psalm 56. 

Psalm 56

When I am afraid,

I will put my trust in You.

4 In God, whose word I praise,

In God I have put my trust;

I shall not be afraid.

What can mere man do to me?

One thing David did to encourage himself was to put his trust in God. Another was to remind himself how excellent and trustworthy is the word of God. At the beginning of verse 4 he starts out fearful. He then puts his trust in God and His excellent word and gains confidence.

There are several ways for us to deal with fear. In this devotion we only addressed trusting God and trusting His word. But look at how powerful they can be. They are two dynamic resources for changing our mind from fear to confidence.

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)
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Man's love can be fickle and even treacherous

David learned on many occasions that man's love is unreliable. In fact he found that the compassion of some became so deadened that they even sought his life.

One key in dealing with these painful realizations is to never place your hope in the unreliable love of man but rather to fix your hope on the consistent love of God. The Lords love is unfailing. He never forsakes His own. No one loves us like the Lord.

Since these things are true don't set your hope in man to meet your need for love. You will be disappointed time and time again. Set your hope in God's unfailing love. He won't hurt or disappoint you. Keep Him first in your life. 

Below are a few examples in the life of David where the love of people / family failed him. But God was faithful to him through all of these things.

David serves Kings Saul but Saul turns against him and wants him dead
Beginning at 1 Samuel 18

David's own men want to stone him - 1 Samuel 30

David puts trust in God above mother and father - Psalm 27:10

David pursued by his own son Absalom - Starting at about 2 Samuel 15

David is betrayed by a close companion - Psalm 55:12-14
Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)
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Some thoughts from Proverbs 10

Things to think about from Proverbs 10

Our conduct can bring gladness or grief to God and our family

1 A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.

God faithfully provides for the righteous

3 The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger,
But He will reject the craving of the wicked.

Poverty and provision can be directly related to laziness and diligence

4 Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

The tongue of the upright is a blessing to others

11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 

21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of understanding.

Carefully screen someone you appoint or hire or you will suffer for it
(there may be other points that can be taken from this verse)

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him.


Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)
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Don't let past sin hinder you today

Don't let yesterday's failure hinder you today. Repent, confess it to God, trust that He has forgiven you, forgive yourself and don't dwell on it, move forward and do what is right today. 

Philippians 3:12-14

¹² Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.¹³ Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

1 John 1:9

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)
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Feelings of inferiority and superiority within the Church

Within the body of Christ there are some people with feelings of inferiority. And there are also some people with feelings of superiority. Some feel inferior like they are not even part of the body, or that they are less significant than other members. There are others who feel superior and don't think they even need other members who seem to be weaker.

One passage of scripture that addresses this issue is 1 Corinthians 12. We can clearly see feelings of inferiority being addresses in verses 14-20. And feelings of superiority is addressed immediately after those verses starting with verse 21. I've put a space in between these verses so it is easier to see.

14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body.

21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)
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