22^nd January 2024

Alex Buabeng-Korsah

THEME: TEMPTATION

THEME SCRIPTURE: "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate." Genesis 3:6 NKJV

PREPARATORY QUESTION

1. What makes us fall to temptations without realizing it until the harm is done?

God created man in his image, and after His likeness (Gen 1:26). What is His likeness, you may ask? God is love (1 John 4:16), and as a result, He could only create a man who has the capacity to love. True love can only be measured when there are choices, and where there are choices, there is also accountability and consequence. This is why God placed man in a garden where he could freely make choices to prove his love.

Yeah, there has been much debate throughout the ages about why God didn't create a man who would automatically do His will. Again, others have questioned why God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden in the first place.

 Precious one, after all these questions and arguments, we all accept the fact that it is beautiful we were not created as robots. When we want to avoid the consequences of our actions, then we wish God was controlling our lives.

But then, it was not the placing of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that was the problem. After all, the tree was there for years and Adam and his wife were alright. Rather, it was the tempter who showed up in the garden and they fell. What really happened? Can we take a dive into the temptation of Eve to gain insight?

God had given instructions to Adam that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil should not be eaten. At the time that the instruction was given, Eve had not been created (Gen 2:16-17).

Adam must have passed on God's instruction to Eve. When the tempter came to Eve, his first strategy was to plant doubt in her mind. “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Gen 3:1). The serpent exaggerated the word of God by asking whether Adam and Eve were not permitted to eat from all the trees. The tempter is good at twisting the word of God. Unfortunately, Eve was not clear on God's instructions regarding the forbidden tree. Eve claimed that God had said they were not to even touch the tree (Gen 3:2). She was making God’s requirements more difficult than God himself had done! Her own confusion about what God had said made her even more susceptible to the serpent’s wiles.

Beloved, a poor understanding of God's word will definitely lead to confusion and make you susceptible to the devil's temptation.

The tempter will come to you with God's word exaggerated or turned upside down. This is where doubt will begin to bubble in your mind if you lack a clear understanding of God's word. Hence, let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom (Col 3:16). Then can you stand strong and firm to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (Eph 6:13).

God bless you more.

FURTHER READING: Ephesians 6:10-13

Call to Salvation: Today is your day if you have not received salvation by turning over your life to Jesus Christ. Click here to do so.

QUESTION TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD

1. How well are you armed with the word of God to withstand the tempter?

PRAYER

Eternal Father, I receive understanding into your word such that clarity will always come to me when I pick scriptures. I receive grace to hunger and thirst after your word, wielding the word at all times against the evil day, in Jesus' precious name. Hallelujah!

One-Year Bible Reading Plan

Genesis 39-40; Psalm 22; Matthew 22