God has given us...
Illustration
Object:
God has given us free will! Some have said that was his big mistake! But why did he give us free will? So that we could choose between him and "selfishness" (ego). One of the reasons we choose a wife is because she also chose us out of free will. That is not true in some countries in the world where the parents may choose a mate for their children. But doesn't it make you happier to know that your mate also chose you? Doesn't it make our parents happier to know that we obey them out of love rather than just so we don't get a spanking (or lose our inheritance)?
In Little Men, the old father Baer calls into his office one of the boys who disobeyed him. The boy expects to be thrashed! But then the good father hands him the ruler and tells him to hit his father's hand with it. He tells him to hit harder! The boy breaks down and cries because he does love the father. So the father tells him that he is hurt when the boy disobeys him.
We hurt God when we disobey him -- no matter how great the temptation seems.
My mother told me not to play with my ball in the living room, but I thought I would be careful and have some fun. Well! The ball hit one of mom's favorite vases and it smashed on the floor. She did the worst thing she can do. No she didn't beat me with a stick. She cried over her destroyed vase. That really hurt me!
Once I put my wallet on my dresser, as I usually did when I came home for the day. My two boys came to talk to me as I changed to relaxing clothes. I could see them in the closet mirror. I told them they could touch anything they wanted to, but not to dare touch my wallet. Their eyes were suddenly riveted on my wallet. They walked closer and kept checking to see if I was looking. Then Chris reached out and touched it, pulling his hand away like it was a hot stove. I still pretended not to see them, so he came closer and picked it up. He could see nothing exciting about it so he set it back down again, confused as to why I told him to not touch it. He missed the point, as did Adam and Eve: "Because I said so!"
We obey God because he said so -- because we care what he thinks!
Men are often tempted to blame the woman for their sin! "She told me to do it!" But when we disobey, our eyes are often opened to what we have done and we are ashamed (naked).
In other words, just obey! Don't allow yourself to be tempted, no matter how enticing it may be!
We have all disobeyed and committed the sin of Adam, so it took Jesus obedience to bring forgiveness.
In Little Men, the old father Baer calls into his office one of the boys who disobeyed him. The boy expects to be thrashed! But then the good father hands him the ruler and tells him to hit his father's hand with it. He tells him to hit harder! The boy breaks down and cries because he does love the father. So the father tells him that he is hurt when the boy disobeys him.
We hurt God when we disobey him -- no matter how great the temptation seems.
My mother told me not to play with my ball in the living room, but I thought I would be careful and have some fun. Well! The ball hit one of mom's favorite vases and it smashed on the floor. She did the worst thing she can do. No she didn't beat me with a stick. She cried over her destroyed vase. That really hurt me!
Once I put my wallet on my dresser, as I usually did when I came home for the day. My two boys came to talk to me as I changed to relaxing clothes. I could see them in the closet mirror. I told them they could touch anything they wanted to, but not to dare touch my wallet. Their eyes were suddenly riveted on my wallet. They walked closer and kept checking to see if I was looking. Then Chris reached out and touched it, pulling his hand away like it was a hot stove. I still pretended not to see them, so he came closer and picked it up. He could see nothing exciting about it so he set it back down again, confused as to why I told him to not touch it. He missed the point, as did Adam and Eve: "Because I said so!"
We obey God because he said so -- because we care what he thinks!
Men are often tempted to blame the woman for their sin! "She told me to do it!" But when we disobey, our eyes are often opened to what we have done and we are ashamed (naked).
In other words, just obey! Don't allow yourself to be tempted, no matter how enticing it may be!
We have all disobeyed and committed the sin of Adam, so it took Jesus obedience to bring forgiveness.
