Tag: Adam

On Becoming an Overcomer

Source: Unknown

Read: Genesis 3:1-5:32

Reflect: Wow.

In humanity’s infancy, sin had already made it’s mark. While still in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve knowingly disobeyed. Outside of the Garden of Eden, the first generation of offspring chose to deal with anger by murdering. By the time Adam’s and Eve’s redemption baby was born (Seth), “people began calling out the name of Yahweh.” (Genesis 4:26) Things were desperate. And that was all within the first 130 years of existence!

Tucked neatly in the middle of this passage is this little nugget:

“…if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It’s desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:7b HCSB

What a picturesque glimpse of the destructive tactics of this “thing” that plagues us all – sin. Other translations paint an even more vivid portrait of our nemesis, so much so that you can see in your mind’s eye a lion ready to go in for the kill –

NLT – “Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be it’s master.”

International Standard Version – “Sin is crouching near your doorway, turning toward you. Now as for you, will you take dominion over it?”

G0d’s Word Translation – “Sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it.”

Apply:  So, what am I to do to prevent sin’s death pounce? If sin is crouching at my door, I can choose to close the door. I can choose not to let it cross the threshold. How?

  • I can take every thought captive. Don’t let any go astray or they will wander to the door and let sin come in and devour me. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
  • I can overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)
  • I can choose not to pay back evil for evil. (Romans 12:17)
  • I can leave judgment/vengeance to God. (Romans 12:19)
  • I can choose to love my enemies and do good. (Luke 6:35)
  • I can bless those who curse me; pray for those who mistreat me. (Luke 6:27-28)

The bottom line is that our salvation is found only in Jesus. He is the overcomer (I John 4:4, I John 5:5). It is through His power alone that we can become overcomers, too.

Ponder: Sin is crouching near your doorway, turning toward you. Now as for you, will you take dominion over it? (ISV-Gen. 4:7b)

More: I found Patheos an excellent resource for practical tips that I can implement immediately in overcoming sin here.

I’d love to read your feedback – the good, the bad, the indifferent. Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Meet Eve

Losing Paradise by He Qi, available for purchase here
“Losing Paradise” by artist He Qi, available here

I’ve known Eve all my life. She’s pretty famous. She’s the subject in many beautiful works of art. She’s been written and talked about for centuries. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to meet someone that hasn’t heard of her.

Even though I’ve known her all my life, Eve and I never truly connected until last summer. We spent an intense week together really getting to know one another. We connected at first as followers of God. There were many “you, too?!” moments as we shared our walks with the Lord (that too often more accurately resemble stumbles). We connected as parents of grown children. We connected as wives. It was refreshing to learn that I shared so much in common with this sister-in-Christ.

I want to introduce you to my friend, Eve. I want you to connect with her on a personal level. I want you to experience how truly relatable my new friend is to you, too.

Spend a week connecting with Eve through my five day Bible Study here.








 

A Valuable Gift – a short devotional

Genesis 2:22 – The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.

Growing up, I loved looking at the illustrations in my Bible. The stories recorded in the pages of Scripture sprang to life through the illustrations. They became the pictures I see in my minds-eye as I read and reread the Word.

As I was reading about the creation of Eve this morning, my mind was taken back to my childhood and one such illustration. This morning, however, my eyes focused more on the text than the picture in my head and I noticed something new.   After God created Eve from the rib he had taken from Adam,

He brought her to the man.

In my mind, I have always seen God creating Eve right next to a sleeping Adam just like my Bible illustrations. This, however – this made me wonder. Did the picture in my head distort the reality of the event?

And then I wondered, Did God intend Eve to be a gift to Adam, bringing her to him like one would present a valuable present?

I love this illustration much better than the one I had in my head all these years. You can almost hear God making the introductions - "Adam, this is Eve. Eve, meet Adam." The Creation of Eve by William Blake is currently held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
I love this pencil illustration much better than the one I had in my head all these years. I can almost hear God making the introductions – “Adam, this is Eve. Eve, meet Adam.”  The Creation of Eve by William Blake is currently held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

PONDER: Could your husband honestly describe you as a gift to him from the hands of God? What is keeping you from answering with a resounding ‘Yes!’?

A Valuable Gift is one of thirty devotionals I’ve been asked to write this year as part of a friend’s year-long devotional project.  You can read more short devotionals like this by clicking here or the Devotionals tab at the top of this page.