Listening!

Genesis 3 details for us the fall of Adam and Eve and in consequence the fall of all humanity. We are all affected with depravity because of the disobedience of the first man and woman. How did this happen? Created, placed in paradise, and in fellowship with God on a daily basis-how did this tragic thing happen?

It began, it seems, by listening to wrong voices. God had spoken to them specifically concerning this tree. He had plainly told them to not eat of this one tree. All other trees were in play but not this one. But Eve listened to a strange voice. It was the voice of the serpent, which was in reality the voice of Satan. Notice that his voice always casts doubt, "Did God really say you could not eat of the tree?" Then he distorts the Word of God, "God said don't eat it and don't touch it." Of course, this just brings confusion to Eve. Then finally, he just straight out deceives her, "If you eat of this tree, you will a God."

Eve never looked at the tree the same way again. She viewed it with new desires in her heart. Desires that moved her to disobey God and eat of the tree. As a result Adam listened to the voice of his wife. He clearly knew the boundaries that God had set, yet willingly stepped over them and sinned.

Sin always begins by listening to the wrong voice. It manifests itself in some action or thought but it begins by listening to a wrong voice. Instead of listening and obeying God we entertain other voices that muddy the waters and stimulate fleshly desires and before you know it there we are standing with a piece of fruit in our hands and a bitter taste in our mouths.

As we begin 2009, let's be careful what voices we listen to.