Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Good morning!
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to Eve, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” Genesis 3:1 (NIV)
I can’t stand snakes. I really can’t. Growing up, our house was near to a drainage ditch that led to a bayou. We had saw lots of snakes. They sat on our porch, crawled into our dryer vent, parked themselves on our water heater – I maintain to this day that I saw a coral snake not 5 feet from me in the drainage ditch. I really, really don’t like snakes.
I bet Eve didn’t like snakes either. Eve is in the Garden of Eden, and a snake starts talking to her. What does the snake (Satan) bring to the table?
In a word – doubt. Doubt about God’s promises. Doubt about God’s Word. Doubt about God’s authority. Doubt about God’s goodness.
And thus those four little words: “Did God really say…” have plagued God’s people ever since. We still doubt God’s promises, God’s Word, God’s authority and God’s goodness. As if we needed proof of our own doubt, the pollsters at Public Policy Polling decided to poll God’s approval rating: 52% approved of the ‘job God was doing’, while 9% disapproved. 39% remained… in doubt.
Satan desperately, passionately and fervently wants to keep you away from time with God – from personal devotion. He has done everything in his limited power to plant seeds of doubt or indifference in the hearts and minds of God’s children since the beginning of time. Satan really doesn’t want you to read the Bible, go to church or spend time in prayer.
God desperately, passionately and fervently wants to be closer to you. Ask Him for the strength to overcome doubt, fear and indifference and so that you can take the plunge into knowing him more and more every day.
In Christ,
Joe
