Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Doubts”
Our Bible verse for today: “No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman.” Genesis 3:4 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Yes you will.”
One of Satan’s most effective strategies to get us to sin is to convince us that we can sin without suffering any consequences. That’s what we’re reading about in Genesis 3:4. Just before that, in Genesis 2:17, God had said very clearly that if Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit they would in fact die. He didn’t mean that they would die immediately, but rather that the results of the disobedience (sin) would bring about their eventual death. The sin would launch a slow steady downward slide that would end in their death.
Going on to Genesis 3:5 we find Satan even convincing Eve that not only would she not suffer consequences for disobeying God’s command, she would actually gain benefits from it, benefits that God had been withholding from her, “ … your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good from evil.”
Satan was lying. He always does. Don’t doubt it, sin always has consequences. Yes you will die. Yes you will suffer. Somehow, at some time, and in some way, you will pay. It’s like the old saying goes, “Sin takes you further than you wanted to go, keeps you longer than you wanted to stay, and costs you more than you wanted to pay.”
As I’ve written in previous devotional messages, in the Bible God has established the boundaries within which His people are to live their lives. The boundaries are actually pretty wide – they allow us lots of room to live well and to fully enjoy life. But there are boundaries. When we stay within the boundaries we are living within the realm whereby God can and will bless us. When we’re outside of those boundaries not only will God not bless our lives, but He will take the actions needed in order to draw us back into a life lived within the Biblical boundaries. We call such actions “discipline”. In Hebrews 12:6 we read, “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves.”
Please don’t allow Satan to fool you into thinking you can sin without consequences. You can’t. God will not be mocked and He will not ignore disobedience. At the very least He will withdraw His blessings. But He will also administer discipline in an attempt to correct you. And, He will allow you to suffer the consequences of your choices too.
Satan told Eve she wouldn’t die as a result of disobeying God. He was lying and she did indeed die. Satan will attempt to convince you that you can disobey God and get away with it. He’s lying to you too.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 