Between Two Trees

Nov02
by Michael King on November 2, 2012 at 11:25 pm
Posted In: revelation
two trees

God says,

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Genesis 2:16,17

God created man with the capacity to decide whether to obey or disobey Him. Though mankind was commanded to only eat of the tree of life, God allowed us to choose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil if we insisted. Adam and Eve could partake of one tree or the other but not both; these fruits were mutually exclusive. The tree of life granted immortality while the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was thought to make one wise. The question still remains to this very day, “which fruit will we choose?”

Caught between two trees

Though the way to literal Eden has been barred for many years, mankind is still caught between these two trees. On one hand we have the gospel of Jesus Christ which promises to restore immortality. On the other hand we have our natural wisdom that we have learned to trust throughout a lifetime of earthly experience. Truly, as the old saying goes, “you are what you eat.”

Over and over in the Bible we are presented with the same choice that we were first given in Eden. As it is written,

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua 24:15

Elijah says,

“And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”

1 Kings 18:21

We see that God’s continues to call upon His people to make a decision. He calls upon all of us to put away what seems right to our natural minds and simply accept what He says and acknowledge Him as Lord.

Leaving the forbidden fruit

Essentially what happens to Christians, as they are called to live by faith, is that we are gradually weaned from the tree of death. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and savior we take our first halting steps away from the forbidden fruit. We literally have to suspend our natural reason in order to step out in faith and believe that Jesus died for us. We must believe, without any physical proof, that through faith in the Son of God we will be saved from damnation.

Ultimately God wants us to complete our journey back to the garden and fully relinquish our dependence upon the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This means that we will no longer go by what seems right in our own eyes, but live exclusively by what seems good to God simply because He says so.

Jesus says,

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God”

John 6:53,54,59,60,66-69

Peter took a gigantic step away from the forbidden tree when he declared, “thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the son of the living God.” Peter, through pure faith, made this statement when most everyone else was leaving because their natural minds stumbled at Christ’s words. Even when it seemed to the natural man that Jesus preached nonsense, Peter still believed that Jesus was the Christ. This is the essence of pure faith, to believe God simply because He says it.

The illusion of control

Many Christians today are caught between the two trees. They believe just so far and then they turn back and cling to the familiar. The tree of knowledge seems comfortable, predictable, and safe. Though this tree is characterized by death it gives us the illusion that we are in control of our lives. We can taste, touch, hear, see and smell the forbidden fruit whereas the spiritual fruit of tree of life seems unfamiliar and unpredictable to our natural minds. The tree of life displaces our security in what we know, and replaces it with trust in who we know.

The single biggest issue with God is that we did not believe Him in the first place when he said, “Do not eat.” He warned us through His spoken word and yet mankind partook of the forbidden fruit anyway. This is why God chose the cross as the way to bring mankind back to Him; it forces us to simply take God at His word. In the natural, a man who died 2000 years ago on a cross is the last person you would think could forgive your sins and grant you immortality. Yet it pleased God to do it in this way because anyone who comes to Him must completely reject the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Unbelief banished us from Eden and only through pure faith will we be granted access to the tree of life once again in the New Heavens and New Earth.

Are we really willing to do what God says?

We ask God for many things and dedicate ourselves to Him by saying we are willing to do anything He desires. But are we really prepared for God to answer these types of prayers? God sees our hearts and in response tests our commitment by giving us tasks that draw us away from the tree of knowledge. By faith we obey and God blesses us with His Spirit and we feel His approving presence. However, we often realize where we are, look at the circumstances around us, and begin to sink. To Peter’s credit, though, he did not did not turn and run for the boat but cried out to Jesus.

I believe it is far better to step out on the water (even if you end up sinking) than to remain in the boat with those who refuse to believe. If you try and fail, Jesus does not desert you. We see that Jesus did not let Peter perish but instead lent him a helping hand. It is important for us to at least try to believe, even if we fail, so that we can learn from our mistakes and become stronger in God.

Don’t be caught between two trees any longer

We must make a conscious decision to no longer be caught between two trees. Let us, by faith, believe God and put away the tree of death and again fully embrace the tree of life. The familiar may seem safe but that path surely leads to destruction. I believe when people enter into hell they look upon the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and die forever.  Conversely, those who enter into New Jerusalem see the tree of life, partake of its fruit, and live forever in paradise.

Lastly, let us come to the realization that in order to serve God we will be called to do that which seems unreasonable, impossible, and unconventional. Jesus says “come”, now it is time to step out in faith and walk on the water too.

The Two Trees by Loreena McKennitt

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Be Fruitful and Multiply

Nov02
by Michael King on November 2, 2012 at 11:23 pm
Posted In: marriage
fruitful

In the beginning God says,

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

Genesis 1:28

And again,

“And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.”

Genesis 9:1

Therefore, when God created the Earth, His express will was for men and women to have many children. Moreover God states,

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

Genesis 2:24

The two shall become one flesh

The one flesh talked about in this passage speaks first and foremost of the “children” produced by the union of male and female. This is how the two become one. Only in a secondary and spiritual sense do a man and women unite spiritually.

From the outset, from Eden onward, God is very keen on children, declaring so over and over in the scriptures. For instance we read,

“As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”

Psalms 127:4,5

After God’s kind

In fact, I believe that children are the fundamental reason for this creation. God’s desire to have children, i.e. the sons of God, literally inspired Him to create the heavens, earth and mankind.

Do you realize that both Adam and Jesus were the literal sons of God?

God says,

“Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.”

Luke 3:38

And we also read,

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God”

Mark 1:1

The literal Children of God

We are also becoming the sons of God through adoption and being “in Him”. In Romans we read,

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father”

Romans 8:15

 And in 1 John 3:2 the scriptures state,

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

1 John 3:2

Be fruitful and multiply

It has always been God’s desire for His servants to have children. In the natural realm, God considers children so important that giving a man many is a great honor and reward. God rewards Abraham for his obedience in this manner,

“And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”

Genesis 22:16-18

So we see from the example of Abraham that God wants to bless those who follow Him with many children. Likewise, with believers today, our Father wants many children, desiring for our righteous seed to fill the Earth.

The world does not value children

In the world today and even within the church, the value of children is steadily decreasing. Instead of placing a high priority on having children and “lots of them”, many people view children as something that “gets in the way” of the more important things in life. However, in God’s view, other than personally knowing Him, children are the reason you were created. Having them is a commandment and not just a personal life choice.

God declares,

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”

Genesis 2:18

A help meet for Him

When God created Eve from Adam’s rib, He was showing us a picture of what His desire is for all of mankind. Just as Eve was taken out of Adam and brought back to him as a wife, so too mankind is taken out of God, destined to be returned as a help “meet” for Him. The word “meet” is an old English way of saying suitable, adapted, or complementary. This is why God creates us a little lower than the angels, yet we are destined to be crowned with glory as His queen.

The book of Esther is a picture of this truth. This is why the church is referred to as the bride of Christ. This is why there is a marriage feast. By the way, the marriage supper is not the point, but only the prelude to what God really desires. You can read typologically about God and His fiancé in the Song of Solomon.

God values children

Just as God said that a man would cleave unto his wife to have children, so God wishes to cleave unto mankind and have children through us. In fact He wants us to fill the whole earth, and, if you can receive it, the New Heavens and New Earth, which He shall create. Procreation is central to everything in God’s creation, simply because it is central to Him. It is His nature. If we have the ability to bring forth children, but refuse to do so except through special circumstance or gifting, we disregard one of the fundamental desires of God’s heart. To put it simply, our Bridegroom wants to have children through us.

As the stars of heaven

In God’s view, the more humans there are, the more potential relationships He can enjoy.  Each man or woman is unique, allowing our Father to manifest or reveal Himself to a greater degree. Every baby born has the potential to live forever in blessed communion with Him. Since we are all one of a kind, if God loses anyone, there is a part of Him that will never be realized. This is one of the most basic reasons why abortion is such a grievous sin. Therefore, every child born is very important to God and no baby is unwelcomed by our heavenly Father.

Bare much fruit

Gain God’s perspective on children and know that He still commands us to, “Go forth, be fruitful, and multiply.” Each one of us, that is able to bless God in this manner has a responsibility to do so. If you are into your late twenties and have not married, ask God to bring you the mate of His choosing in short order.

Moreover, most of the time, the person that you should marry is right underneath your nose. It is only because you are overly concerned about your needs that you do not recognize them. If you are truly bought with a price, the price of Christ’s blood, do you really think that you can deny your heavenly Father children because you don’t agree with His choice of spouse?

Marry only as God directs

It is true that our upbringing pre-programs us to marry a certain type of individual. If your childhood was marked by family violence, there is a tendency to gravitate towards that type of martial situation once again. This is why we desperately need God to show us the mate He chooses because, left to our own devices, we do not choose wisely.

Romantic love is like a carnival ring toss where you hope to win the biggest stuffed animal. It is theoretically possible to bring home the big prize, but the likelihood is that your treasure will be lost. This is what often happens in our society when a girl gives her virginity away before marriage to a man in hopes of securing his heart. Yes, you might walk away with a big fluffy toy animal, but chances are you will be disappointed and suffer loss.

A love relationship commensurate with full intimacy

Give a man no choice but to make lifetime commitment before having relations with you. If he is not willing to commit for life, then he is not worthy to be your mate. Your body is the most precious thing you possess, therefore do not give yourself away lightly.

Also, a woman should not remain unmarried well into her twenties if she can find a suitable mate. God wants all women to be fruitful.  Value your reproductive years and use them wisely. God creates us as intimate creatures and commands us to express such desires. Chances are that no matter how dedicated you are, your hormones will get the best of you at some point and you will have a romantic encounter whether married or not.

Brethren, do not cause your sisters to sin

For example, I remember one Christian woman who was in love with an acquaintance of mine. This man, though he deeply loved her, delayed marriage for over 10 years because of other pressing things he wanted to do. This very godly woman ended up bearing the child of an atheist, falling into sin due to her heart being sick from her hopes being deferred.  This pastor refused his duty and the woman he loved bore the child of someone who doesn’t even acknowledge God exists!

Whose fault was this? I think a great deal of the blame rests upon the hesitant Christian man who would not do his duty towards his sister. He missed his chance to be fruitful and pass on his godly genes while a man who actually hates the thought of God, passed on his. Young men, get out there and find their wives before someone else does.

Have children according to your ability

God wants each of us who can to marry and have children according to our ability. God is not talking about just the 1.8 child national average but to be fruitful and have many. We are to look forward to having children so that they can grow up in the fear and admonition of the Lord and become one with Him. God loves us to have children so much that He will bless us with the financial ability to take care of them no matter how many we have. If we neglect to heed this call we defraud God of what He wants most: more people to love and (in return) to love Him.

Marriage is God’s business

Some mistakenly view marriage and having children as “their business”. We think we should decide whom to marry and if and when to have children. But I would like to suggest that these two very important aspects of our lives are not ours to do with as we please. God says,

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

1 Corinthians 6:9

and in Luke,

“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”

Luke 17:10

God fashions a woman to give herself willingly to her husband in order to bare his children. Likewise, we should give ourselves willingly to God to have children for His service and glory. It is as simple as that.

Allowing a sister to remain unwed is sin

Today, there are many single women in our churches who love God and serve Him faithfully. They attend services and do good works year after year, but can find no husbands to marry. How do you think God feels when He knows that a sister could bring forth children that would grow up to serve Him faithfully for eternity, but no man will take them as wife?  It is sin to allow these women to remain barren when they could be fruitful.

The point of creation is children

In conclusion, “be fruitful and multiply.”  The very point of this creation is for God’s children to be a fruitful bow, having many children. Our Father entrusts us with the ability to give Him the desires of His heart.  Therefore, we must take His commandment to be fruitful and multiply seriously.  Through abortion, AIDS and disease, the Devil tries his best to kill as many children as possible.  Just like Pharoah, Satan fears that our generations will grow up to serve God, instead of him. Let us fight the devil by obeying this most blessed of commandments, bringing forth as many godly children as possible.  In this way we bless our heavenly Father with the fruit of our wombs, forever.

Song of the Bride by Paul Wilbur

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