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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
Remember these three words - Intimidate - Dominate - Manipulate - these are not of GOD.
If someone appears attempting to intimidate you or dominate you or manipulate you, know that is what is happening is not coming from the heart of a caring, compassionate and loving God.
We are in Genesis Chapter 3, where Satan in that conversation with Eve goes for the kill, having questioned what God has said and having twisted what God has said.
You can hear what we have to wrestle with in our hearts and minds and lives. "I am going to be independent of God - I am going to be free to go where I want - to decide how I want - to make up my own mind. No, I am NOT going to let HIM dictate to me."
Satan actually doesn't do the dirty work. He leaves it up to Eve to do it. Did she feel like a liberated woman as she decides to "try it"!
As soon as she realises that she has done something wrong - she wants to drag someone else into it.
Have you ever noticed that? Someone does something wrong, and they immediately want to involve others, dragging in as many people as possible. Sin brings loneliness and isolation - so get as many people involved in your mess as you can.
Satan's lie was a half truth.
They were no longer the same one flesh, and sin does this in any marriage. There was something now to be hidden, and they are desperate.
Can you imagine them trying to sew leaves together? When you sin you become desperate, and you try to cover up.
And men seek cover-ups! They made aprons - not hats or socks or gloves! It was if they knew then where the real trouble in the future lay.
No, it was not the apple on the tree. There is no apple mentioned.
It was not the apple on the tree that caused the trouble – it was the pair on the ground.
They were different now, and they realised it. What was pure and beautiful and innocent was now gone, and when we read on we see that sin and death and pain and suffering and disease and corruption and warfare now come into the world as a consequence of disobedience to God.
There is only one way of being covered from our guilt and disobedience and rebellion. That is by being covered with the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God - and being protected by that precious blood - the most precious substance in the whole universe - one drop of the blood of Jesus.
Jesus deals with disobedience - rebellion. When there is anything to hide Jesus can deal with that. Some people have been hiding things for years. In the next verse they are hiding from the loving merciful Lord God.
The enemy's smooth talking had twisted the Word of God - beware of that! He got the woman to question the Word - and persuaded her along with her husband to disobey The Word of God.
These words in verse 6 - pleasing, desirable, took and ate! Over the years I have used these words in school assemblies and classrooms and prisons.
I saw the chocolate bar, and because it looked good I wanted it, and I stretched out my hand and took it and ate it – and because I got off with it once I thought I could get off with it time and time again, and one day someone tapped me on the shoulder!
“Holy Father, we thank You for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, shed for us on the cross. Forgive our sin and sins. Protect us. Wash us. Guard and guide and direct us – we pray in Jesus Name.” Amen.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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