Seems Greener

I am sorry this is late this week.

This has been a bit tougher to write...as discontent seems to lurk close by, just waiting for an opportunity. 

Always seems redder, fresher, greener, bigger,  better.

At first I may have been talking about fruit....but then...about most anything.

Doesn't that thought process seem to be so prevalent today?

"I want that house because it is bigger and more impressive", "that car because it is more luxurious", "that job because it will make me rich or give me more prestige", "that person because they will make me happier than the one I am with", "their life instead of the one I've got." etc etc.

Eve said "I want that fruit because it will make me smarter...better....like God." (Beware of the quick, work free, pain free way to anything)

The fruit always looks fresher on the other tree...the grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence.  They key to that statement is "always seems or looks" greener.  Not "always is"

Now I am not talking about a desire to do better; improvement on your job, home, lifestyle, health, relationships, walk with the Lord.

I am talking more about a discontented spirit.  Unsatisfied with where you are, with what you have been given, with the season that you are in.

📖  “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? Luke 16:10-12

That is how sin works....

Sin is almost always enticing....it isn't until after we have made the step in that direction that we may realize..."what is this?!? This isn't better, isn't more  fun, or more beautiful" etc. We don't see the ugly side of sin until later....and sometimes even then we convince ourselves (allow satan to continue to convince us) that the sin we have chosen isn't ugly,  isn't hurting us or those around us.

It is really the only way Satan can entice us from the truth....he has to dress it up to look better than what we have.

The few times when it doesn't have to look better is when we already have given the devil a foothold; with anger or jealousy or bitterness already prevalent.   Then we aren't  motivated by the temptation of something "better", we are motivated by our emotions...we don't care if it looks bad...or might hurt another....we just want revenge...or what might give us, what we believe to be, justice or our fair share.

📖  “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:26-27

Way way back, at the beginning, sin looked enticing. 

📖 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Genesis 2:9,16-17

📖 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:1-7

The fruit looked enticing,  but the words and promises that came with it were what made it even more so. 

All that God had given them in the Garden, all their needs supplied, all that they could want.

But Satan convinced Eve, who then convinced Adam that "the fruit on this tree is sweeter", "the grass is greener over here" "We will be far better off"

And they became discontent with God's provision, became dissatisfied with their relationship with God.

Satan, as the serpent, convinced Eve that in choosing the fruit there would be many benefits and little or no consequences. 

As I said before ...beware of the quick fix...faster way to righteousness, to a deeper relationship with Christ.

"One pill you can lose weight without exercise," "Earn lots of cash by doing little work,"

"Eat the fruit and be as wise as God Himself."

Our spiritual walk is going to be work; trials and temptations are going to happen...that is what strengthens our spiritual relationship, makes us stronger in the Lord, builds Godly character. 

The more time we spend with Him, the more we will know Him.

📖    If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.  If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. John 15:7-10

Our discontent that leads to sin doesn't usually just affect us.  Typically we take people along with us...even if we don't intend to.

Eve didn't just try the fruit herself ...she encouraged Adam to join her, but it also affected generations to come.

How do we avoid that trap of discontentment, so we aren't seeing things as much more enticing "over there"?

We keep our hearts in line with Christ.  We spend time with Him everyday.  We read, learn and do His word.   

📖 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

We learn what it is to be content.

 📖 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

❤🙏

📖 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:6-16