Cross My Heart Ministry

And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”
Genesis 3:15

The fall of Adam and Eve brought judgment by God.  Genesis 3:15 provides redemption from God.

Like two sides of the same coin, our God is compassionate as well as just.  Into the ocean of sin and judgment of Genesis 3, He drops a life preserver in verse 15:  “…he will crush your head.” This, of course, points to the victory Jesus will have over the evil one.  God’s prophecy is the first gospel, the promise of a future redemption for all of mankind.

God makes a down payment on this future redemption by killing an innocent animal to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21).  This points to the redemption we all have in Jesus Christ, the innocent Son of God who died to cover our sin.  The cross is the ultimate victory over the serpent, the fulfillment of the promise in Genesis 3:15.

Adam and Eve were covered in animal skins.  We are covered by the blood of Christ.

Adam and Eve were sent to live out of the garden.  Jesus sends us out with a message to the world.

Because He died sacrificially for us, we can live gratefully, obediently, and joyfully for Him.  Jesus’ first post-resurrection words were uttered to women and included an assignment:  “Go and tell…” Matthew 28:10.  The magnitude of our sin and our fall coupled with the magnanimity of His provision should both compel and propel us forward to proclaim both his justice and his redemption.

Are we ready to be faithful to the privilege and the call to “go and tell?” Where shall I go and whom shall I tell?  Whether across the street, across town, or across the world, we are compelled and propelled by his justice and by His love. The message we carry is the good news– the gospel.

God first revealed His plan for redemption in Genesis 3:15.  Has His message of redemption transformed your heart?  If so, then how can you not share this good news with others?

Lord, bring someone across my path today.  Give me courage and give me words to share the life-changing love of Jesus.

“So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you …”
 To the woman he said, “…    with pain you will give birth to children.  Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
 To Adam he said, “…“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you… By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:14-19

 We would have no respect and no tolerance for an earthly judge who winked at law breakers and sent criminals out of his courtroom with a just-don’t-do-it-again lecture. As a society, we expect law breakers to face consequences.

God is the perfect judge.  He is holy and righteous.  A righteous judge must respect the law. God’s one rule was made clear.  When it was violated, His nature required Him to dole out punishment.  Genesis 3:14-19 records consequences to Adam, Eve, the serpent, and even the ground.  Enmity, hard work, pain in childbirth, and thorns and thistles are all consequences of the fall of man.

Specifically to Eve, He also said, “Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you.”  I believe this means that Eve will want to be in charge, but Adam will be in the headship position. She has lost some of the joy and blessing that was present in her before-the-fall marriage.

I Timothy 2:14 reveals, “And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.”

Eve was deceived.  She thought she knew best. She took a leadership position she was not to take.  Why was she engaging in conversation with the serpent anyway?

And where was Adam?  The scripture clearly says he was not deceived.  But he was there.  Why did he not intervene to protect his wife?  Why did he follow along?  Was it pride…laziness…both?

Whatever the motivation, both sinned.  And there were consequences to both.

We serve a God who is just.  He cannot and will not excuse or dismiss sin. Our God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  He is still holy.  He still requires atonement for sin. You and I also face consequences today for our sinful choices.

The woman of God knows God is just and takes sin seriously.

If you are married, I want to encourage you to pray for your husband.  As wives, we are to follow our husband’s leadership.  As women of God, it’s a joy to follow a man who is following God. That’s how God intended it to be.  Pray for your husband to be a man of God. 

 Lord, lead Kevin to follow you above all else.  He is in the position of needing to both follow you and lead our family.  Equip and enable him to do both.  Bless him abundantly in his role as husband and father.  Thank you for this man of God.

The man said,
“The woman you put here with me—
she gave me some fruit from the tree,
and I ate it.”
Genesis 3:12

Death entered the world when Eve took that first bite – just as God had said it would.  Physical death would come.

But there was also death to perfection.

Death to innocence.

Death to life without shame.

Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves, but sin could not be kept hidden.  And, like our Father Adam and our Mother Eve, our sin, too, will be found it.

God, of course, knows what has happened when He comes to confront Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:8.  Their response shows us the “blame game” — so alive and well in our society today– was played first in the Garden of Eden.

When confronted, Adam not only blamed Eve but had the audacity to infer that God was partly culpable:  “The woman you put here with me…”  (emphasis added) When it was her turn to answer, Eve blamed the serpent.

When convicted by the Holy Spirit, our response should be “Yes, Sir” – no blaming, shirking, rationalizing, or denying.

I John 1:10 warns, “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”

Alternatively, confession brings blessing:  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

Denial or confession?  Which do we choose when the Holy Spirit nails us?

Lord, when you convict me, give me the courage to respond with confession. Thank you for the cleanness in my spirit that the sweet blessing of forgiveness brings.

“…you will be like God…”
Genesis 3:5

          Eve was lured away by the temptation to be like God.  Pride.  Nothing new under the sun.  It is the same temptation that lures us in today and persuades us to doubt God’s Word.  We want to be the boss, to call the shots, to control our own destiny.

Eve liked the idea of being like God.  The scheming words of the serpent prompted her to take a second look at the forbidden fruit.  Genesis 3:6a says she saw that the fruit was “good for food and pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining wisdom.”

And then she ate the fruit.

The second look led Eve to take the first bite and to commit the first sin.  Just like today, all sin begins in our mind.  We think about it, rationalize it, and then plunge ahead.  To coin a phrase from Neil Armstrong, that was “one small bite for woman, but one huge swallow of sin for all mankind.”

Sin both then and now ripples out to affect those around us.  Eve gave the fruit to her husband and he also ate it. She drags him down with her! Our sin affects others.  What sin are you and I choosing to walk in? What example are we setting for our children?  If our kids grow up and make the same sinful choices, choose the same sinful lifestyle, will we be surprised?  Disappointed?  Our example is the equivalent of handing our kids the fruit.  Here – eat this!

Temptation led to sin.  But temptation is not sin.  Even Jesus was tempted.  God always provides a way out:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
I Corinthians 10:13

Lord, light up the exit sign – show me the way of escape when I face temptation.

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’?”
Genesis 3:1

 “Did God really say?”  We can’t see the emphasis, but I think the crafty one focused heavily on the word really.

The serpent’s plan was to get Eve to doubt God’s word.  He didn’t try right away to get her to eat the fruit.  He was clever, devious.  Just get a toehold of doubt into the door of her heart and then He would be posed to throw open the door to sin.  He is patient, wily, leading her slowly from step 1 to 2…not jumping to 10 too quickly. And step 1 in his temptation playbook:  get her to doubt God’s Word.

It’s so easy for us to condemn Eve, but…don’t we do this every day?  We also doubt God’s Word.  God may have not spoken audibly to us, but we have His WORD – the BIBLE! Consider this one verse from Proverbs:

“A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.”  Proverbs 22:3

What danger do we see and refuse to take steps to ward it off?  A lifestyle that is not healthy for my body?  A car that is growing older every day but I’m not saving to have it repaired?  Continued poor financial choices, relationship choices, use of time choices?  The thought that skitters across our minds – “this is not good, I should change course…” should be followed by action, taking refuge.  God warns us that suffering will come!  And yet – we continue in the path that leads to destruction.

We shake our heads and sigh as we look at the life of Eve.  “How could she doubt?” we ask.  But yet…our choices to act and choices to NOT act render us culpable, as well. Just like our mother Eve, we doubt God’s Word.  Where do we need to believe HIM? To believe His Word, we must read and know HIS word.  That’s at least part of the reason we study the Bible.  We are not just here to soak up knowledge, but to walk in obedience to what we learn and know.

As we study His Word, it becomes ours.  We know it, we believe it, and we are ready to quote it when temptation comes.

And quoting it is exactly what Eve does – at first:

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.’”Genesis 3:2-3.

(Actually, she changes God’s instructions ever so slightly.  She adds an extra caveat – do not touch.  Perhaps she created an extra hedge to ensure obedience – if she did not touch, she certainly would not taste!)

I’ve been challenged by God this year to intentionally and deliberately memorize large passages of Scripture.  One of the blessings that comes from having God’s Word hidden in our hearts is the Holy Spirit will bring scripture to mind when it is needed.  We can ask God to give us a verse that specifically addresses a challenge or problem area for us.

As followers of Christ we need to believe God’s Word.  We must study it, know it, meditate on it, and intentionally live it.  Not because it’s drudgery or a “have-to,” but because it is what is good and best for us.

The child of God believes God. And to believe Him is to believe His Word.

Lord, I want to believe You.  Show me truth today from your Word and then give me both conviction and courage to walk in that truth.

The Lord God said,
“It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Genesis 2:18

God created the rest of the world and then saved man, the crown of His creation, for last.  Next we see that God will bless Adam with a helpmate.  Reading verse 18 leads us to hold our breath in anticipation.  If this were a fairytale, it would be the moment when the beautiful princess enters the ballroom and Prince Charming lays eyes on her for the first time…

          Our eyes eagerly move to verse 19 to see the scene unfold and we behold…Adam naming the animals..?  Were two pages stuck together?  Did I inadvertently skip a few verses?  When virtually all of Chapter 2 is devoted to Adam and Eve (my Bible even gives it that heading), why does God suddenly interject this bit about Adam’s assignment to name the animals?

          As each animal came, Adam’s sense of aloneness was heightened. God used the naming of the animals to create a desire for a mate in Adam.  Perhaps if God had given Eve too quickly, Adam would not have appreciated or valued her.  (Sometimes we make that mistake with our children – giving them a toy or bicycle without allowing them time to dream about it, want it, wait for it–maybe even to save for it and earn it.)

          Perhaps all that waiting not only created a longing for a mate, but also had Adam ready to embrace his new mate (spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically) as suitable.

          If you are a mom like me, you have been praying since your children were born for that suitable mate for each of them.  On December 29, 2012, those prayers for our firstborn were answered as Tori Layne Barnes became Mrs. Kyle Macfarlan.  She is an extraordinary woman of God.  She is suitable and then some.  God has answered exceedingly and abundantly more than I could ask or imagine for our son.  They complement each other so well.  They share a passion for God.  They are both equipped with sharp minds that will challenge each other to deep thinking.  On top of it all, I’ll be blessed with beautiful grandchildren one day – as (in this mama’s very biased opinion), they are a handsome couple inside and out.

          Young love inspires old love.  Attending a wedding ceremony is an opportunity to renew vows if you are married or pray for the marriages of those you hold dear if you are not.

          Lord, am I suitable for Kevin?  Am I an effective and loving helpmate? Show me how to love him better today.  And, Lord, please continue to bless Kyle and Tori during these foundational weeks of their marriage.  Thank you for bringing them together.  I pray blessing over their lives and their marriage –may they always live to bring You glory!

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 of it you will surely die.”
Genesis 2:16-7

Today we have federal, state, city, and county rules. We have rules for driving, for buying and selling, and even for dying.  Some of those seem to always be changing – like the speed limit:  50 here, 70 there, only 35 over here.  There are rules at home and at work.  There are moral and ethical rules.  And each one comes with consequences when broken.

Adam and Eve were given just one little rule and still could not keep it.

We can indulge in frustration, irritation, and condemnation towards Adam & Eve – they ruined paradise for everybody!  But…I must ask myself:  if it had been “Adam & Laura” would the results have been different?  In our flesh we are all the same as Adam and Eve.  We, too, would have chosen our own way then…because we are choosing our own way now.

God wanted Adam and Eve – and, by extension, us— to choose to obey Him out of love.  He didn’t force them and He doesn’t force us to obey.  He could have left the tree out. He could have put a high fence around it.  He chose not to make it unreachable and He gave them many other choices –lots of others trees from which to choose.

Why a choice?  Couldn’t he have made us all Pinocchioes to automatically do his bidding?

But He chose to make us in HIS own image (Genesis 1:27) and with that we have free choice.  God wants us to choose to obey.  He wants us to choose to love Him.  As parents, we are delighted when our children CHOOSE to love and obey us.  It surely brings pleasure to our great God and heavenly father when we choose to obey Him because we love Him.

Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me…”  John 14:21. 

Where is God calling you and me to choose to obey Him because we love Him?  We must consider that choosing to continue to sin is to also choose to reject God.  Our love for Him compels us to obey Him.  His love for us enables us to obey.

Would you ask Him today to give you strength, courage, and the ability to walk in obedience – to obey Him in that difficult area where you might be holding out?

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden
to work it and take care of it.
Genesis 2:15

One of mankind’s first assignments was to care for the creation. Stewardship of the earth is not a political issue, but a Biblical call.  Christians should lead the charge to actively and purposefully demonstrate conservation of our earth’s resources—being careful to proclaim that we worship the Creator and not the creation.

The call to recycle is heard by every generation. Modern-day school children recognize the green triangle and the words Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.  The World War II generation can recite the slogan of their era: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”  Travelers are challenged to reuse their towels with this message in hotel rooms: “Think Globally, Act Locally.”

As 21^st Century Christians, we should not resist, but embrace, the challenge to live a green lifestyle. Consider these simple actions as ways to worship God and fulfill His assignment to take care of the earth:

• Buy a re-usable water bottle.  Keep it filled and ready to grab and go.
• Recycle cans, plastic, metal, and paper.
• Consider wearing clothing a second time before laundering to conserve water.
• Donate items in good condition to a local Salvation Army rather than throwing into the trash.
• As you go, pick up trash from sidewalks, parks, and streets.
• Plant a tree

Our job from the very beginning was to serve as caretaker of the earth.  Our creation is God’s gift to us.  We honor Him and worship Him when we serve as good stewards of what He has entrusted to us.

“And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”  Genesis 2:3

School children love snow days. Moms and Dads love vacation days.  Everybody loves holidays.  Celebrating the occasion aside, just doing something different than what is required all the other days makes a day off a treat.  In proclaiming the seventh day for rest, God set the example of giving us a day off. He even modeled this for us by resting from all the work He had done on the other six days.

I don’t think God was tired, but rather He wanted to enjoy the blessing  of a job well done – not unlike the feeling of satisfaction we get from sipping sweet tea and looking at a freshly mowed lawn or a newly-mopped floor.  Ahhh….satisfaction!

A day off is a gift.  A blessing.  A delight to be enjoyed, not a drudgery to be endured.  And yet, when we hear  Sabbath, our minds quickly jump to words like legalism, law, or bondage.  Perhaps we should consider that real bondage is trying to continuously maintain the stressful, hectic pace of every day being the same – is Sunday the day that you and I try to play catch up on everything we just didn’t get to the rest of the week?

God, as the Creator of our bodies, knows what we need.  Just as we refer to the owner’s manual to determine how many quarts of oil our engine needs to run effectively, we need to use God as the authority for what our bodies need.  He is our manufacturer.  A day off will help the other six unfold both more productively and more joyfully.

What holds us back from accepting His gift?  Are we so arrogant or prideful to think that we are too important, too busy, or just have it too much together that we don’t need to or don’t have time to take the day off?

How can you and I be intentional about making this Sunday a real day of rest, a holy day, a day of blessing? For many believers, Sunday is the MOST hectic day of the week and certainly not the day of rest God intended.  Join me in making some plans.  Let’s intentionally make Saturday count and take Sunday off.  How can we make Sunday different?  Go for a bike ride, play games with the family, read a book, go for a walk – whatever rest looks like for you.  Let’s make it holy – set apart – different from the other days and, most of all, honoring to God.

Let’s plan to open our gift of a day off!

Sorry for the unplanned “sabbatical.”  The transfer of my blog administration from Feedburner to Mail Chimp exceeded my techno skills.  Of course, my eldest son was able to do in about five minutes what I had labored over for weeks.  Now that the transfer is complete, you can expect more Genesis posts.

In the meantime, I’m sharing the links below to the teaching lectures from the weekly Bible study I teach at First Baptist Church here in Siloam Springs, AR.  Please email me at crossmyheartministry@cox.net if you would like to receive the Power Point slide show that accompanies the audio.

Here are the recorded Genesis lectures to date:
Genesis Intro:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2012/09/09/genesis-intro-laura-macfarlan-9612/

Genesis 1 –Because of needing to be out of town for a funeral, this lecture was recorded directly into Power Point.  Email me directly and I will send you the file.

Genesis 2:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2012/09/20/genesis-2-laura-macfarlan-92012/

Genesis 3:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2012/09/27/genesis-3-laura-macfarlan-92712/

Genesis 4:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2012/10/04/genesis-4-laura-macfarlan-100412/

Genesis 5 & 6:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2012/10/12/genesis-5-6-laura-macfarlan-101112/

Genesis 7 to 9:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2012/10/19/genesis-7-to-9-laura-macfarlan-101812/

Genesis 10 to 12–This lecture was recorded directly into a Power Point file.

Genesis 13 to 15:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/2012/11/02/genesis-13-to-15-laura-macfarlan-11112/

I welcome your comments on how God is using age-old stories from Genesis to challenge your modern-day living!