Hebrews 13:14
But put on The Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
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The desires of the flesh are divisive and death. But the desire of The Lord Jesus Christ is peace through Him and Life Eternal in Him.
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The desires of the flesh, of the heart, bring division and chaos. They first divide us from the presence of God, as Adam and Eve were divided from His presence when they sinned against Him in the garden of Eden. Before they ever bit into the forbidden fruit, their minds questioned the validity of God's Word and then their hearts desired that thing which God had said not to touch. But they touched it anyway. Biting into the fruit was the culmination of sin's aspects: doubt, desire, touch, and taste.
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Fear soon followed. For finding themselves separated from God they tried to hide from Him. But sin already separated them; hiding in the bushes became instinct. Many times times we try to hide from God, when we know we have transgressed against Him, yet He knows where we are. He either waits for us to come to Him (Luke 15:11-32) or goes looking for us (Luke 15:1-6).
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Death was not far behind fear. But first all parties had to be judged for their sin which had cause the division between them and God. First, the serpent, the craftiest beast, was condemned to slither across the ground (he lost the use of his legs). Second, the serpent, the spiritual enemy of God's people, was condemned to death publicly (in the face of Adam and Eve) and vocally (God spoke the judgment aloud).
Then Eve was judged for her actions in dividing herself from God. She would know great pain in childbirth and she would have pain in raising them. Her heart's desire would be for her husband, and she would submit to his authority God's way (Ephesians 5:22-24).
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Now Adam is judged for listening to and following the actions of his wife. We may never know exactly why Adam did as Eve did, though, perhaps, he did not want to lose this mate whom God had given him. But he ate of the forbidden fruit, too, so judgment came upon him, as well. Work would be hard, and because of Adam's sin, the ground is cursed. The soil he worked in would yield thorns and thistles and he must eat of the plants that grew in these fields.
And, finally, death comes. At least one animal had to die, that their sins would be covered and their nakedness clothed (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22). After that, they, too, were banished from the garden of Eden for their actions. This paradise was no longer theirs for the keeping and the living.
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But the desire of The Lord Jesus Christ is that all are restored to a familial relationship with God. The restorative relationship we have in Christ makes us sons and daughters of The Most High God (Romans 8:14-17; John 1:12, 13).
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He is our Peace (John 14:27). And in Him, His Peace, we place our confidence and hope of Life Eternal which is promised to all who believe that Jesus Christ is Lord (Hebrews 10:23; 1 Peter 1:3; Titus 3:5).
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Jesus is The Resurrection And The Life (John 11:25). He came to give us Abundant Life (John 10:10). In Him we have more than enough. So much so that we must go out and share this Life He has given us with so many more people, that they, too, might know this Jesus and have His Resurrection and Abundant Life in them!
So rings out the call, "Come to Jesus. Come and see. Come and know. Come and believe." But even as this proclamation is declared, so the warning bells ring out crystal clear, as well, "Before it's too late. Before the last trumpet sounds. Before you return to the dust from whence you came."
Come to Jesus and Live! ✟
