The bible says that God created a garden in Eden and put Adam in it. He then created all the trees. In the middle of the trees is where God put the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 2:8-9 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
God also gave Adam the job of taking care of the garden. The bible does not say how long Adam was alone in the garden but it must have been lengthy because of all the things Adam had to do. All was done before Eve was given unto him. Adam was still alone when God gave him the command that he could eat of all the trees in the garden with the exception of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God told Adam he would die if he ate of it. So Adam was aware of all the trees in the garden including the tree of life and the tree of death. Why he ignored the tree of life is a very good question! He was aware of it long before Eve was created.
The very essence of how Adam perceived the tree of life is very much like how mankind perceives eternal life today! They know it is there and that it gives life, but like Adam they are not interested. Mankind indulges in the sins and evil ways of the world (tree of the knowledge of good and evil) because they choose to do so; they are guilty of disobeying God and come under the death penalty. Those who choose life and confess that they are sinners, submitting to Jesus Christ and receiving Him into their lives are given the gift of eternal life. Their sins are forgiven, past, present, and future through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross.John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The tree of life represents Jesus Christ!
Genesis 2:15-17 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Adam and Eve saw the trees in the garden every day, and I still ask myself, “Why did they not want to eat of the tree of life”? The serpent really fooled them when he said they would not die but would know all about good and evil just like God does. They didn’t know that their disobedient act would condemn all mankind to the death penalty. (Remember that people who are deceived don’t know they are deceived!) Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden so they could not eat of the tree of life and live forever. Genesis 2:22-23 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” — therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
Now God sent His only Son down to the earth to take on the flesh of mankind (though He was still fully God) to suffer on the cross as the supreme blood sacrifice; and, by His grace, do away with the sins of the world and to die in our place so that He could freely give us His gift of eternal life. That is how great God’s love is for us!John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Now is the time of salvation! Don’t keep following the sinful, evil ways of the world! Follow the “way, the truth, and the life” through Jesus Christ!
Dear heavenly Father I come praying for the many still living in sin in this world and ask that you would draw them to Christ as the truth of salvation is shared with them through the multitude of ways you have made available in this technical age by television, radio, Media, satellite, and the internet in the Christian churches today. There are still billions of people in this world who need to be saved and only You can make it possible. Open the doors of salvation to the unsaved of the world! Father You deserve all the glory! In Jesus name I pray, amen!
I was reading an article by Billy Graham where he said that our nation had become so evil that we need a great revival. Billy Graham quote, “I am convinced that unless we have a great spiritual revival, we cannot endure much longer.” He goes on to say, “We must return to Christ, He is the only answer”! Yes, we need to have faith in Jesus, so let our faith do its spiritual work. The bible says in:Matthew 17:20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Therefore, faith the size of a grain of mustard seed is strong enough to move a nation back to God. This nation is in moral crises. We as a nation need to get on our knees and submit to Jesus Christ. Pray that the faith of Jesus in us will turn the tide of lawlessness, corruption, greed, and hate that is so prevalent to“love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law”. Galations 5:22-23
Now is the time for Christians to glow with the very body of Jesus Christ in them in every aspect of their lives. Show forgiveness when abused, turn the other cheek when confronted, pray for those who persecute you and mistreat you, never returning hate for hate but let the unsurpassed love of God triumph.
Jesus I pray that you will strengthen your Church, the body of Christ, and through the body by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit bring a powerful spiritual awakening and revival to this nation, the United States of America. I pray all to Your glory in Your holy name, Amen.
Franklin Graham will be hosting “Decision Texas The Lone Star tour” in the following cities:
Corpus Christi, Texas – Oct. 14, 2017
Longview, Texas – Oct. 19, 2017
Lubbock, Texas – Oct. 11, 2017
Midland, Texas – Oct. 12, 2017
Round Rock, Texas – Oct. 16, 2017
San Antonio, Texas – Oct. 15, 2017
Waco, Texas – Oct. 18, 2017
I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to speak through Franklin Graham and bring many of the unsaved to salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Jesus name, Amen!
Now is a time of salvation! If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, pray to Him now! Do not wait until it is too late. Read the news, there are record breaking earth quakes in Mexico, and even worse record breaking hurricanes hitting the United States. Top that off with heavy saber rattling by North Korea and the United States not withstanding all the other wars and disasters all over the world.
HURRICANES
Matthew 24:6-8 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
EARTHQUAKES
God’s Word is true! Prepare yourself for what is to come. Seek Jesus, ask Him for help! He is waiting for you! Then your prayers will be answered.
STARVATION
Luke 21:36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass.
DESEASES
Time is growing short act now!
VIOLENT PROTESTS
Lord call those who will listen to the saving grace and mercy of God! Amen!
John 5:21-24 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
Great God in heaven the world is full of people who are still under the death penalty and need the saving grace of Jesus who being totally sinless died on the cross in their place so that they may have life. Open their hearts to receive the glorious salvation of Jesus Christ. In Jesus name, Amen!
The following comment was made by an individual responding to a recent poll about how important God is in our lives:
“What has he done for me? Is my life depending on him or is my life depending on what I’m doing with it? My life is well without believing in him. I really don’t care about someone I never knew, because if I do I should care for all people I don’t even know. And doing that is something not very sane.It’s not normal. I don’t care for people I don’t know because they can be all bad as far as I know.”
Proverbs 30:3 I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.
WOW! Do you see what this person is saying? IT IS NOT NORMAL TO CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE! He does not want to be abnormal and care about God, who he does not know, may mean that he would have to care about other people, who this person does not know. How sad! This is the epitome of an unsaved person who does not want to know the God who sent His only Son to take on the flesh of a man of this world and sacrifice Himself on the CROSS spilling His blood for the sins of the world so that person can be saved from eternal judgment. Why would he want that?
Ecclesiastes 6:12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
Those who do not know God and say that He does not exist and like to make disparaging remarks about those who do believe in God are scared to the core to actually try to know God because they are intensely afraid that they may find out that God really exists. They only think in terms of an entity of God in a single dimension. They identify God as a mythical entity. In other words they don’t know much about the subject of God, only what they imagine He is like in their own minds.
Job 18:21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, And this is the place of him who does not know God.”
How do you feel about yourself?
Are you normal or abnormal? Down deep inside where only you know how you think and feel, do you have a perfect feeling about yourself? Have you successfully fulfilled your dreams in life? Have you been a failure about any important things? Are you so filled with joy that there is no room for more? Do you feel an emptiness that needs filling? What do you really care about? These are all important questions that anyone should be concerned about! It doesn’t make any difference where on earth you live; they are all pertinent to you.
Job 42: 2, 5-6 ” I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You “. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
You are hearing His voice now! This is how God speaks to your heart! Today is a day of salvation! God wants more than anything to give you His blessings. He will share His glory with you if you will receive Him into your heart.
I pray that your response will be to allow God into your life so he can pour out His grace upon you, that you may have eternal life from this time forward. Great rewards await you. Let this be the beginning of your new life.
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus described what the very character of a Christian should be. Like a little child! Energetic, happy, innocent children! After all a Christian is a child of God.
I have never subscribed to a belief that many Christians maintain about children saying that they are born in sin with a carnal nature. Why do they not believe Jesus? Why does Jesus make such a big point about this subject? Is because He knows how adult carnal nature thinks (Hey! God created me this way)!
But Jesus teaches just the opposite about little children. What does He say in the scriptures about this subject?
Matthew 18: 2-5 Then, Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
“Open our eyes Lord” as the words to a certain song are most appropriate at this time. Be like a little child without bias, prejudice, and color blind. Little children always seem to enjoy the company of other children no matter who they are.
Christians desire to go to heaven but there are many people who are not saved who think they may go to heaven also because they believe themselves to be good people and there are people in this world who are downright mean and don’t have clue to what they could have from a God who loves them. Through one righteous act of Jesus the free gift came to all men cleansing them from all sin past present and future then died in their place so all me could live. The question was asked of the Apostles what men could do to be save? The answer was, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and you would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. God is waiting for the unsaved to give them a new robe to wear, a new body, a new name, a new home, a great reward, and a new job as they live in glory in the presence of God for eternity.
We need to be like the little children, humbling ourselves and expressing joy and kindness without bias or prejudice to those who are unsaved and as color blind as little children. By expression show the love of Jesus to every unsaved person you meet, in doing so you plant a seed for God to nurture into a productive righteous child of God.
Pray that all people will be saved to the glory of God!
Human slavery is very much alive in the United States and the rest of the world. The US government estimates the there are approximately 17,000 victims of human slavery every year in the US and about 21 million victims worldwide. It is hard to believe that this is happening in today’s world. It is one of the most hideous and atrocious crime perpetuated against humanity.
Christians everywhere should pray about human trafficking every day. Christians need to pray about the death and suffering that plagues the victims of human trafficking. When we invoke the power of God worldwide for those who are suffering God hears. John 9:31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
Statistics show that over half of the 21 million human trafficking victims are little children. God takes a personal interest in children. Matt. 19:14 Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
I know it is hard to do what Christ teaches us to do but He will respond to our prayers!
Matthew 5:44 pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you
Proverbs 25:21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.
When the coals of fire are heaped upon their heads God has taken over! Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.
Do you know who God is? Do you know what His purpose for creation is? What is the greatest thing about God? It would take the whole bible to thoroughly answer these questions so we will only cover some very important high points.
If you have yet to receive Christ into your life then all these points are of the utmost importance to you and your family!
The first thing we learn about God in Genesis 1:1 He was there from the beginning and that He created the heavens and the earth. But does it say who He is? This is better explained in other passages of the bible. In John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The apostle John talks about the Word and that Word was Jesus Christ.
In other scripture we learn what God is like and the most important characteristic about Him. Very plainly He is the epitome of love.1 John 4:8, 16 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
God even emphasizes how important love is.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Let make sure we understand that Gods love and the love defined by the world are totally different. The love of the world is sensual, emotional, self seeking, lustful, and covetous. God’s love is explained this way.John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. This is exactly what God did when He sent His Son to die in our place on the cross. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Jesus loved all men so much He willingly gave His life for us that we might live.
Galatians 1: 3-5 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
We have now come to the most important part!
If you have never asked Jesus to come into your life take the time, now, find a private place and ask God to help you understand what being saved is all about. He, in all His love, will show you the way. Trust Him! Believe Him! Accept Him! He is ready with all His heart to give you His greatest gift. His GRACE! It is undeserved pardon for all your sins past, present, and future. You will be a new holy creation for God the Father and your citizenship will immediately be in heaven.
2 Corinthians 6:2 For He says: ” In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Don’t wait any longer for Jesus is at the door waiting to come in!
2 Thessalonians 3:5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
Sharing the Gospel message of hope, strength, love, and peace through Jesus Christ to those who are hurting in their soul or spirit. This is the mission of Healthy Mind Ministry
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