Imagine a world with no sin. Imagine the perfect harmony of God’s creation. Everything worked. Adam and Eve knew a time of innocence. There was no shame, only love. We can’t comprehend it.

Adam received the commandment not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but he ate of it. We’ve been born with a sinful nature because of that act of disobedience. We’re lost because of what Adam and Eve did. Eve tried to blame the devil, but that didn’t let her off the hook. The devil can’t make us sin.

It all comes back to our attitude to God’s word. If Satan can get us to doubt it for one minute, he’ll get us to believe things are OK; it’s OK to eat of the fruit we shouldn’t, whatever our fruit happens to be. Then we’ll fall. Knowing the experience of sin gives us a better understanding of why we mess up. All we suffer now is the product of sin. God intended for us to live forever with perfection in every way, even in our bodies. Our bodies became mortal and vulnerable after Adam sinned. Now we’re born to die. It lies in the nature of all things. Adam’s nature that came from the sin of one couple is now ours. It’s in our soul and our make up. We’re children born in iniquity.

They were not to eat the fruit. If they did, they would die. Satan worked on Eve first, and Eve worked on Adam. She looked at it and in light of what Satan said she crossed the line. She reached for the fruit, ate it and turned to Adam. He saw she didn’t die right there on the spot. He thought “there is nothing wrong with this.” He ate it too. What Satan says will always have a little truth in it.  Don’t believe it. Adam and Eve died from the inside out. It was a spiritual death followed by a physical one. The result was the need of a sacrifice to redeem what they had given up.

When she partook of the fruit, she saw things from the devil’s point of view.  Before Eve was created God gave Adam the commandment not to eat this particular fruit. That one bit of knowledge of good and evil was all he ever needed. The devil can wear us down to the point that we question the Lord. We say to ourselves “why is this right? Why is this wrong? Why is this happening?” When we give Satan the time of day, he won’t stop; he’s one step ahead of us all the way. When he approached Eve, he asked one simple question. “Yeah, hath God said?” This first approach was calm and objective. “Is what God said right (like he didn’t know the answer)?  The Bible says to abstain from even the appearance of evil.  Eve’s first mistake was staying there in the serpent’s presence. Her second was giving him a reply. She didn’t have to, and we don’t have to. We don’t owe him anything. She should have walked away. In verses 2 and 3 she tried to explain. When the devil saw this, he knew he had her. She was listening to him. When the devil poses questions to us, don’t give him an answer. We may have to explain things to God but never the devil. We owe no one the explanation of all the what’s and why’s about everything because we’re Christians. The only thing we owe is our testimony and effort to win others to the Lord. When Eve tried to explain she got mixed up. We need to get away. Change the channel. Walk away from the crowd. The longer we hang around what the devil offers, the worse it will be for us.

In verses 2 and 3 she added something to what the Lord said. “We can’t touch it.” God didn’t say anything about touching it. He said not to eat it. The devil saw the flaw; he saw her confusion. Remember, he can confuse even the most clear minded Christian. He played off this. He knew Eve wouldn’t fall over dead. He gave her a half truth. “You won’t die. God doesn’t mean what he says. This fruit won’t harm you.” Once it was plucked off the tree, it could not be put back. Satan deceived her. He tells us we can eat and have God at the same time. He told Eve it would be ok. He made her think God was keeping something from her. He said God knows if you eat this you’ll be like a god. He tried to make her feel sorry for herself. She fell for it hook, line and sinker. This is his driving force today. He tells us “control your own life, our own destiny. You can do it.” We can’t even control our next breath. It’s in God’s hands. Everything is in the hands of the Lord.

What Eve saw was pleasing to her. It appealed to her. She touched it. She broke the connection of the fruit to the tree. She brought it to her mouth and bit into it. SIn sure looks good; feels good; tastes good…doesn’t it?  But only for a short season. She saw she didn’t fall over dead and gave it to Adam. He said to himself “why not?” Don’t be flippant with God. Then suddenly, irreversably, everything changed. After they had eaten the fruit, Adam and Eve knew shame. They wore no clothes and up to that point saw no shame in it; there was none in their perfect, sinless world. They hid from each other and made clothes of fig leaves. They then hid from God. They were lost. Although God knew where they were, when he came down to fellowship with them he said “Adam, where are you?”

Where are we when it comes to the devil? Are we listening and interpreting beliefs as we go. When they told God what happened he asked “who told you?” Then Adam said Eve did it. Eve said the serpent did it. The curse was already in place due to that one sin. Man would have to work by the sweat of his brow to make a living and the woman would bear children in pain to populate the earth. Just as her children did, we’ll die some day.

The devil was already under the foot of the woman. The plan for Jesus to be born of woman was in place; Mary would conceive and bear the Son of God. All this had to happen because of sin.

Will the devil tempt you? Sure he will. The only way to shut the devil up is to shut him out. If you have fallen, call upon your Lord. If you have been listening to the serpent’s ramblings, leave him right now.

Forsake the devil. Stick with the Lord.

The Lord is up in heaven, but he’s here with us too. Later we’ll see that he had a question for himself. He would ask the angels, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?”

“And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?” Gen. 18:17-19

The Lord is good to us all. If we could only perceive how he watches over us. Sing that old song with me. “I sing because I’m happy. I sing because I’m free. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches me.” Would God say “shall I hide from Bob Surber?” If he wouldn’t hide from Abraham, he won’t hide from me. God has no secrets. Some are before us, in our eyes, but only because they’ve not been revealed. They aren’t secrets. In due time, we’ll know them. God is not a hidden God. Satan wants to present Him as aloof, separated from us—a secret God. However, God is open and straight forward with us.

In verse 1 Abraham saw three men coming and perceived one of them was the Lord. If we would only perceive our personal God, we’d see he’s all around us. He’s visible; he can be recognized and felt. He visits us more than we can imagine. We just don’t take the time to see him. God made no attempt to hide himself or what he was going to do. Whatever you’re facing now, don’t believe the lie that God doesn’t want to be open with you. In every moment of your life God is near.

The things that seem hidden are actually only held back. Some things have to wait a while. God is still there, open and frank with us. He doesn’t beat around the bush. We fail to see what he wants us to see. He doesn’t play hide and seek, but we do. We keep the secrets OR think we do. We may keep them from others, but we don’t keep anything from God. We should be thankful for an open God.

When Abraham perceived it was the Lord, he ran, humbled himself and bowed to the ground. He invited him to his tent. Guess what?  He went!  The Lord liked the meal. He wants to sit down at our table and talk to us. He wants fellowship. Before he condescended to our level through Jesus, he sat and ate with Abraham.

After the fellowship he asked the angels “shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?” He didn’t. He revealed all of it to Abraham just as he does us. We get 100% of him. He wants us to plainly see, know and receive him in all his fullness.  He truly wants us to know him. In verse 19 God said “I know him.” He knows it all. He knows all of me, right down to a polyp in my colon, if there should happen to be one (hope not!).  I get an image of myself, but God knows the deepest corners of my life. Shame on me, shame on us when we won’t come honest with the Lord!

In verses 20-21 we see God’s plan to destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He shared with Abraham what he was planning to do, what he wanted to do, and what he was going to do. There are no accidents with God. Abraham’s tent didn’t just happen to be on the way. In that day God was in control. Now here we are on this side of the cross, and he’s still in control. We don’t know what’s ahead, but God does. He knows it all and will take care of it all including us. Don’t try to hide. Get to know him as Abraham did.

If God is open with you, why can’t you see? You’re looking in the wrong place. Turn away from the world. If you avoid prayer and Bible study, no wonder you think God is a secret. Think of him as the Bible portrays him, and don’t listen to what others may see. Find out for yourself. God doesn’t wear glasses. He has 20/20 vision he see us and is open to us anytime.  We might as well come clean with him.

What is God saying to you right now? What are you seeing? What is he showing you? Do whatever it takes to be open and honest with him. Be as open and honest as he is with you. God says “shall I hide?” No. He will not hide.

Let’s do the same. Let’s not hide from him.

We’re living in a time that the unsaved are bold and vocal with their sin. According to Christianity they think there are things which are wrong but believe they are not. The Bible says in Hosea 12:8b “they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.” Years ago we said “surely we’ll never see that day,” but we are. In a sense you could say they win souls to Satan by converting people to their distorted views. They lead people astray from the truth of the Lord.

What the lost do or say doesn’t matter. Now more than ever Christians need to be bold right back at them.  We find ourselves silently going along having the tendency to be timid and uncertain of what to say. The last part of the armor of God is prayer. Paul even asked prayer for himself that he would preach the gospel and label sin as sin. God’s Spirit would do the convicting.

Be bold?  What are we to be bold about? A sinner can defend him or herself. Are we ready to do so? We can’t give personal views; we have to be “handy” with the scriptures. The Bible is the basis of the truth, and by knowing the scriptures we know where to go and what to show them. Some may not believe it without being shown. We need to both know and show the Bible’s black and white view of sin. In verse 19 Paul wanted prayer for utterance—not stutter-ance. We need utterance and remembrance of the scripture to take the Word to them. Verse 20 says we can then speak boldly as we ought to speak.

Let’s pray for boldness and be bold.

“Romans 15:22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. 23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; 24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thither ward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. 25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. 26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. 27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. 28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. 29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. 30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; 31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; 32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.”

At least 7 times Paul repeated, in some wording or another, “I’m coming to you.” He was determined. He knew the value of meeting with them so they could worship the Lord together. We need to consider this. We come to church to worship. Some people call it “going to meeting.” When it ceases to be of importance to meet the Lord and to worship with each other, we need to take a look at ourselves.

In verse 22 Paul said he was hindered from “coming to you.” It’s been such a winter that we’ve been hindered several times from having services. Sometimes our health hinders us. We miss coming together as God’s people. When we meet, the Lord comes too. Never think there is no one here. God and one are a majority. The Bible says where two or three are gathered together, HE is in the midst.  Sometimes we let things hinder us. We shouldn’t. I’d rather be with God’s people than anyone.

In verse 23 we see that Paul had a desire to “come unto you.” I don’t know exactly where they worshiped, in buildings or underground, but Paul was coming to see people. He knew faces and names and had a great desire to see them.  What kind of desire do you have for fellowship? It should be our desire to be blessed and be a blessing.  Don’t lose the desire to come. Pray if you feel it slipping.

Verse 24 lets us know that Paul made his decision.  When he headed to Spain he said “I will come to you.” He made his choice. What choices are made about coming to church?  We can’t be wishy-washy about it. We can’t be indecisive and think twice about it. Christian fellowship encourages us; the family keeps us. Paul told them “I will come to you.” He decided to meet with them. Ruth decided she was not leaving Naomi. This is what we need—decision.

In verse 28 Paul said he was not going the long way around. The church in Jerusalem was in need; Rome knew that and understood it. It was important for Paul to visit Jerusalem.  He told them when he finished his visit at Jerusalem, “I will come by you into Spain.” He was saying “I’ll come there before I go anywhere else.” He wasn’t taking the round about way. Do we take the round about way with church?  We should not be ashamed, never of the church or our brothers and sisters in Christ. We make each other valuable. Professing Christians should not put other things in front of the church and the believers. God’s family helps us when others fail. The Lord is in us. When we meet together, the world can’t match the unity that comes from it.

Paul’s determination is seen in verse 29.  “And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.” He said “when I come unto you.” There was no “if I come.” Some of our best times are with our Christian family. The blessing is from above through each other when we come together.

Look at verse 32. “That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.” Paul wasn’t coming grumbling and complaining. It’s good to bear each others burdens, but come to be a blessing. Paul probably knew his life would end at Rome. It was hard to go there. He could have been discouraged. Yet he told them he “would come unto you with joy.” He planned to meet them for a refreshing. Some people want others to make them happy while they make no effort to do the same for others. We need to counteract that and come with joy.

Come what may with the world, but if we fail to come to each other and meet with the Lord, we will lose something. How about a simple prayer of commitment to our brothers and sisters and together let’s meet with the Lord.

As a verb trust means we relax with a person; we believe to the point of opening up to him/her. As a noun it is something that can be taken care of and managed well. God is a trust. We can turn ourselves over to him. He’s safer than a bank. God is a trust that is devil proof.

I Timothy 6:20 “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee.”

Paul reminded Timothy he was a vessel of trust. In almost a plea Paul said “O Timothy.” Whatever is failing, we can’t forget the trust committed to us. What God has given us is vital to the salvation of the lost, to the church and to our own soul.

How can God trust us? As a committed child of God, He has given us the same in return. What we do with that trust is important. These are things that destroy it—“profane, vain babblings, and oppositions of science so falsely called.” We can’t give space to these. There is no room for toleration of sin. We must be a vessel of honor to be used by God.  Our prayer should be “Lord, I know you’re counting on me. Help me be that strong vessel that uses what you’ve given me in a right way.”

Do we realize what God has given us? We’re not empty. We have so much to enjoy and so much to share. We have a new nature and the ability to help others find Jesus. Our testimony helps others see God as the true and living God. Our testimony for the Lord speaks of the forgiveness of sin. God put salvation inside us. There is now a light within. We are the salt of the earth. When a light goes out or a bag of salt leaks, they are no use to God. They become empty bags. If we don’t trust the Lord, we can find ourselves with an empty bag. We need to patch up leaky spots.

The reason we’re still alive is for others. If that wasn’t the case the Lord would have taken us to heaven when we were  first saved. The world is in jeopardy, and the presence of our light can get the word of God to the lost. The only way for them to be saved is by the hearing of the word. Our testimony can give it to them.  Paul said it would be far better for him to go on to heaven, but it was needful for him to stay here. The same reasoning goes for us as well.

Salvation is our trust. It’s the reason Paul told Timothy to remember what he had. The world needs what is invested in us. We got the best job in all history when we were entrusted with telling others about Jesus. We can’t just have the word in our head; it must be in our heart. The Lord doesn’t expect us to save people but to keep the trust he’s given us and communicate to others what he has done. The truth of the ages is that salvation comes through trust in Jesus.

What are you doing with your Jesus? How far can he trust you?

Everything about hell is bad, real bad. The Bible we hold in our hands tells us that long before Jesus came to earth, before man fell in the Garden of Eden, there had to be a hell. Lucifer is the cause.  He and a third part of the angels are doomed to go there.  We need to fear it. We can’t fool around with the Bible. We need to act by what we say. There will be no waltzing into heaven. Some will be in for a surprise when they leave this world. The Bible says that many will call upon the Lord with words similar to “I’ve done this in your name; I done that. I’ve been a good person.”…..the pleading goes on and on. Jesus will say “I never knew you.”  Hell is serious. It’s the alternative to heaven, so we won’t just dance our way into heaven. We must cling to Jesus.

So, why talk about the size of hell?

Isaiah 5: 13 “Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. 15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: 16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.”

These verses tell us enough to show us we need to get down to business with hell. Is it a reality? If we believe the Bible is true, yes it’s a reality. Was it a necessity? Yes. There had to be a dwelling place for those who reject Jesus as Savior. It’s not about an identity with religion. It’s not about being a good person. The only way we can escape the destiny of hell is by the ONE who was sent to save souls. It’s about Jesus Christ and what we have done with HIM. It’s about what we are doing with him in our personal and public life today.

It’s sad but ironic that while the belief in hell is dwindling, it’s frequently made fun of. There is no fear anymore. The name of God and his Son are also made fun of.  We’re in a blasphemous generation.  Biblical words are used in ways such as these. The words of other religions are not used; they use the words of our Bible. This attests to the truth of the Word of God. It’s proof that the devil is alive and well. Hell is as real as it’s ever been; it’s not dormant or idle. It’s ever growing, ever enlarging itself because each passing moment souls go there. It has to accept the ones who made fun of it. It has to accommodate. It shouldn’t have needed to exist, but there had to be an eternal place of judgment for sin. God didn’t want to create it and it’s no bigger than it has to be. Yet due to the multitude of those who are lost it must enlarge itself.

Every aspect of hell is a living nightmare. It’s a blazing furnace where the fire is not quenched. Isaiah said it’s a smoking pit. Job said those who go to the pit never come back. It’s a chamber of agony beyond our imagination. What is heard there, what is seen there, what is felt there is pain and torment. There is nothing but the taste and smell of smoke. The rich man in hell asked for mercy; he wanted just a drop of water; he said “I am tormented in this flame.”  There won’t only be the cries of agony from others, but a person’s own cries will be heard. It’s a madhouse of insanity. There is no dignity there. The scripture says there are no pomp, no pride, and no arrogance in hell. There was pleasure in the sin for a season but it stopped in hell. One may have a big name here, but in hell he’s just another person. One should not think “I wouldn’t gnash my teeth”, because he most certainly will.

The devil wants to keep you in sin and make you go past God and the cross to hell. The signs are there from Genesis to Revelation. There is a hell, and we can escape it if we trust in and live our life for Jesus. Don’t ignore the signs. Don’t laugh along with others, whether friends or Hollywood. Never think you don’t have to worry about it. Without God you’ll go there and not come back. If you’ve forsaken God you’re in danger. If you’ve left God for something else you will end up there. Verse 14 says “Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.” The poor can go there. The mighty can go there. When you die in your sins you’ll find that all the glory, the popularity, the enjoyments, and do-dads of this life were for nothing. All things that take our time and efforts from God are sin. The Bible says let him who is holy be holy still. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t live how we want to and think we’ll scoot into heaven at the end by hollering at God in one moment at the end of life.

It doesn’t matter who you are, your name may be in the paper tomorrow. Do you know Jesus? Does Jesus know you? You’re not there yet, but if you go, you can’t come back. It’s not God’s wish that any go to hell. Jesus gave his all so that you would not have to go there. We need to give our all to him.

Remember, hell is only as large as it has to be. Follow God’s advice. Don’t make it any larger. Get real. Get down to business with hell.

From Adwolfe to wherever it may be………………………

I Corinthians 3:9 “For we are laborers together with God”

Monthly Support

• Jeff Crabtree, Canada
• Mark Neppl, Suffolk
• David Sexton, Suffolk
• Anthony Edgmon, Spain
• Carlisle Hanna, India
• Paul Collins, Harrisonburg
• Camp Jacob, Clintwood

Quarterly Support

• Jerry Gibbs in France
• Free Will Baptist Family Ministries in Greeneville TN

There are links to the above on the “Fellowship” page.

On the home front

• Sunday school every week at 10am
• Food pantry
• Pre-service prayer circle
• Electronic prayer circle
• Pioneers for Jesus, Youth Program
• Young at Heart, Senior’s Group
• Ladies Auxiliary
• Christmas and Easter programs for outreach
• Personal visitation

Song of Solomon 2:2 “As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. 3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. 4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. 5 Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.”

Here in poetic form is the answer the three Hebrew children gave to the king. They knew their God was the real God. Also, they knew God loved them even as captives in Babylon. They also knew it was their own nation’s fault they were in captivity. Although they were under the thumb of the king, God’s love empowered them to do what they could not have done. God’s love gives us hope. It’s a love worth feeling. It’s wonderful to be considered lovable by the One who knows us best.

Do you ever wonder if God loves us as he once did or as the Bible says?  Saying “I love you” is wonderful, but love goes beyond words or feelings. Like the blood in our body, we need love. If you thought no one cared, not even God, you’d feel like life was over. The love of today is selfish. It makes us wonder if love is actually real. Do you ever wonder “where is my valentine?”  Where is THAT valentine? The Bible says that faith, hope and charity abide and the greatest is charity—love. Charity is a working love. Of the three, the most dependable is love. It alone is enduring, regardless of time, distance, and circumstance. Though it is terribly missed, what a comfort to know that love is still there. And will be.

In this passage Solomon is speaking of his love for the Shulamite woman, and she speaks of her love for him. Solomon is so wise; we can see how the Lord loves us too. We all understand romance on human terms, but the love of God transcends it all. The song says “the love of God is greater far than tongue nor pen can never tell; it goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the deepest hell.”

In verse two we find the beginning of Solomon’s conversation with the woman he loves.  He saw her condition and situation. She was a Shulamite , considered by many as  just another thorn in the bush. She deserved to be a thorn. Solomon saw her as a lily in the midst of the thorns. Are we not thorns by our Adam nature? God saw the lily and sought it out. Solomon pulled her from the briar patch just as God wants to do for us.  The Lord didn’t stop due to our flaws; he saw something worth the sacrifice to bring us out of the thorn patch of sin. In doing so he wore the crown of thorns for us.  He saw something of worth in us.

Where is my valentine? For sure Jesus knows who he loves, and he does it with an everlasting love. Maybe we should ask ourselves if we’ve shown love to Jesus.  Since he considers us a lily we should love him in return and let him make us a lily.

In response to Solomon she said he was like a forest of trees where only he bore fruit. She felt privileged to sit down under his tree. You may feel things are rough; what you’re going through may be hard, but remember you’re loved and have been brought out of the thorn patch to sit under the apple tree of God’s grace. It surrounds us; all we have to do is reach out and pull the fruit from the branch, because we sit under the shadow of it.

Never ask “Lord, where is my valentine?” We run into his love all around us. Sometimes we’re loved so much we take it for granted. We see God’s valentine every day. Times grow worse, but God’s loves increases and will be there for us.

Solomon then took her from the apple tree to the banquet hall. When she sat down all eyes looked above her head. She looked up too. Verse 4 she says “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” We don’t know her name, but I imagine the banner saying “King Solomon loves the Shulamite.”

It’s good for us right now to be saved and under the apple tree of God. One day we’ll be taken to a banquet. Where is my valentine? I know.  All I have to do is look up at the banner. It says “Jesus loves Bob Surber.” It says the same to you.  “His banner over me is love.”

Do you need to say something to the Lord? Do you need to thank him for his love and give more love in return?  Where’s our valentine? We know. Just look up.