God's Wisdom In A Nutshell

Hello again!

The term “born again” was a foreign word to me when I was in a denominational church. I never understood the concept. But after studying the Word of God for years, I now understand what a rebirth In Christ is, and I would like to help my readers come to an understanding as well.

It all really started with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They were living in Paradise and God gave them everything they needed. He also gave them control of the earth so that they could choose how their life would go.

“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”(Gen 1:26 NIV)

After Adam and Eve made their choice of disobedience, sin entered the world and life in Paradise ended. They now had to fend for themselves and work hard to obtain food, clothing and avoid the evils of the world.

Every person born after Adam and Eve is born of the flesh and subject to fleshly desires -like the “apple” for Adam and Eve. And just like them, if we succumb to these human desires we will suffer the natural consequences of them.  When we learn through reading Scripture, that there is a better life in Christ, we will have to make a choice. Do we keep control of our life, or do we give control to God.

“If you try to hang on to your life you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will find it.” (Luke 9:24 NLT)

Keeping God in a box and continuing with our own desires, will make us miss out on God’s best for our lives. We will no longer be able to stand on the promises God gives us in the Bible.  This is why Joel Osteen’s messages seem unbelievable to us.  Pastor Osteen  wants you to believe in the promises of God- which include spontaneous healings, prosperity and peace- yet he never teaches his congregation that you must be a follower of the Lord’s teachings in order to receive them. Basically, live like you want and expect the best from God.  WRONG!

Just as a coupon is redeemed and we receive a lower price on an item, God wants us to give Him the “ticket” to our life so to speak. He wants everything, the good the bad and the ugly. He will then redeem our life by washing our sin away and replacing our heart of stone with a heart of flesh.  He changes us from the inside out. Our manner of living will be different and our heart will be different.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason you should add to your faith goodness and to goodness, knowledge and to knowledge, self control and to self control, perseverance and to perseverance, godliness and to godliness, brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1: 3-7 NIV)

After deciding to follow the Lord’s teachings, you will have escaped the corruption of the world and are now able to receive God’s precious and magnificent promises of health, prosperity, joy, peace and eternal life.  Not only that, your prayer life will become extremely effective, and you will be stunned when a prayer request is suddenly answered!

God loves us and wants to help us, but it is up to each one of us to allow Him access to our life.  He isn’t a dictator and won’t force you to move out of the “believer” zone into the “follower” zone.  I hope you choose the latter.

More on this topic next week!

Lisa