Satan will often have you questioning God, before he outright defies God.
Questions aren’t wrong. Just make sure you’re ACTUALLY asking them!!
Selfishness convinces us that we’re missing out. That God is withholding something from us...when the reality is God WANTS to withhold something from you. For Adam & Eve, and all of humanity, he WANTED to withhold the knowledge of EVIL from us! He didn’t want us to know the difference between good and evil.
Sin unlocks knowledge, but it’s knowledge you never needed. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
John 10:10 says that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but JESUS has come that we may have life, and have it to the FULL!
SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY.
Spiritual maturity is taking responsibility for not only your own actions--but others too!!
“You’re only as sick as your secrets.”
Honesty isn’t a fruit of the spirit--it’s CHOICE, and it’s a DISCIPLINE.
Holiness is not only given, it is chosen. It starts with your thoughts actually. Philippians 4:8. “Think about whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
LOVE takes responsibility for OTHERS. How can we possibly love others WELL, when we can’t take responsibility for ourselves?! Love pays the price for OTHERS. Love is self-sacrificial!!!
And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.
But. God. covers. It.
THE LORD covered their sin.
THE LORD covered their shame.
THE LORD went looking for them.
THE LORD called them out of hiding.
THE LORD gave them their dignity back!!!
EVEN THOUGH IT WASN’T HIS TO COVER!
God covers it. That’s GRACE.
Grace is being given what you don’t deserve.
Mercy is NOT being given what you DO deserve.