Month: August 2021

Every season of life has its own game, and testing. How we handle our “game of life” will tell a lot about our characters and willingness to become the best of ourselves.

Inevitably, we admire the things that stand the test of time and that become living examples of the absolute best.

But when it comes to our personal lives—when we go through a long and arduous journey, we may ponder on these questions:

Is this the time to pause and reflect?

Is this the test of this particular journey?

Where do we turn to?

Do we turn to God for understanding, endurance, and deliverance, or become hardened and reject God?

Are we open to being helped by others who obey God, or are we withdrawing guidance and help others may give?

Do we even acknowledge what Christ has done for humanity on the cross?

Or do we accuse God for being unjust?

Sometimes the answer to the questions unasked is to peep into the past and carry the lessons not learned earlier.

Without any doubts, the test of time helps us to grow and build our characters.

It’s written in James 1:2-3, “Consider  it  all  joy, when  you  encounter  various  trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

This brings us once again to ask ourselves: do we step out with acceptance of what the lessons we may learn and what the journey may prepare us for the future, or do we overlook the most important lesson we are taught?

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Thankfully, we have the evidence within our reach—in His book, the Bible. It not only tells us that the world was created by God; more importantly, it tells us who God is. His words reveal how to discover the best and highest path possible for our life.

We must stop blaming God for what is wrong with the world. God, from the very beginning, never intended to burden us with sin—he didn’t burden Adam with sin. God made him upright!

“God gave Adam the freedom to forfeit his righteousness. If you’re a God follower and if the habit of your heart is to blame God, you must really question yourself. 

The Bible tells us: We need to start confessing that we are far from upright.”

—Pastor Colin Smith

The question one may ponder is: how did Adam know what was right and good? What I’ve learned over the years from great Bible teachers is simply this: God wrote what’s right and good on Adam’s heart.  Because he was made upright.

Thomas Boston wrote something helpful: “Adam did not have the law written on tablet stone. But it was written on his mind and the knowledge of it was created within him. God impressed upon his soul and made a law to himself.”

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, it is explained that God gave everything to Adam. God gave him Eve, and gave them marriage as a gift.  The perfection of their relationship was blessed by God but their continued union with God required obedience to His requests.  

The Ten Commandments were revealed much later. 

Adam didn’t need a law, he was a law unto himself. He didn’t need the Ten Commandments.  The knowledge of right and good was in him.  It was given to him, it was natural and changeable. He had the freedom to forfeit his righteousness.  

One of the questions we all ask is: Why did God allow sin? 

If Adam was upright and didn’t sin, the whole world would have been upright too, and the world would be a paradise. So why did God allow even the possibility of sin? 

The answer is: Freedom—because of his love for his children. God made Adam upright and also made him free. For Adam freedom meant choices with many consequences. 

God made man upright, but sadly man searches for many schemes. 

This is the view of some in the world that we are all righteous. We are not righteous! We fall short on a daily basis! As for me and you, we go to church not because we’re upright, but because our sin brings us to our knees with a humble heart, acknowledging that we’re in need of a Savior—whose way, truth, and love is the Most Exhilarating Path Possible!

Thank you, Father, the God of all creation! I’m standing before you with a humble and thankful heart as a justified sinner—reconciled through your son Jesus Christ, and all my good is in him. When he returns, I will be in him, for I stand on Christ’s rock. Amen!

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