KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL

The writer of Hebrews tells us that we are to discern good and evil. And yet the original sin of Adam and Eve had to do with the knowledge of good and evil. How can I be commanded to discern good from evil, and be punished for knowing good and evil? I find this to be a central teaching of the Bible, with a subtle but significant twist.

The sin of Adam was to learn about evil by choosing disobedience. The instruction in Hebrews is to discern between the two by choosing the good. The serpent lied when he told the woman that by discovering what it means to do evil that she would become like God. But God tells the truth when He says that when I choose what is good I learn how to discern evil, too.

The enemy is still whispering his lies in my ear. He tells me that my ministry will be more effective among alcoholics if I find out what it feels like to be drunk or stoned. He says that the straight life is not the road of freedom, and points out how freeing it would be to ignore the shackles of the law. In fact, the human heart longs from freedom from the law. But God's way of giving me freedom from the Law is through the blood of Christ, and through a response of love to Him, not through compulsion. Peter tells me that by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. So, I can choose the so-called "freedom" that the enemy offers, but on the other side of that escape is a new bondage. Or, I can train myself by choosing what is right, what is good, what is holy, and I can discover that there is true freedom when I walk in the light!

Wow, this teaching is all through the Bible, and it is the daily temptation of most everyone I talk to. We all want to do what is right, eventually. But so often doing wrong seems like the appropriate round-about path to get there. Not so.

"Thank you, LORD, for the freedom You offer me in Christ. I choose good, not evil. Give me discernment, and train me through holiness to recognize a lie of Satan and to choose to hear the truth. I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus, who together with the Father and the Spirit reigns forever, one God without end. Amen."
-ker

this wasan article i found to be very uplifting...

LIVING IN A WORLD OF CONTINUAL CHANGE

By Bill Ellis
Special to ASSIST News Service

SCOTT DEPOT, WV (ANS) -- PARADE, The Sunday Newspaper Magazine, December 28, 2003, offered glimpses of some of the best and some of the worst things of the past year.

It has been that kind of year for most of us. For some it seemed to be all bad. Little, if anything, had a positive ring to it. There was too much war, pain, suffering, heartache, failure, loss, debt, destruction, and death.

There was, however, a truckload of good things for many people. They were blessed by abundance, success, good health, and happiness.

There are numerous things in life for which I am thankful. For every negative there is usually a corresponding positive. I do not like pain, suffering, or death. I have seen enough of it to last me the rest of my life, but I will see more of it as I continue to live.

During the past year some of my best friends died. In fact, a part of me died the day my only sister, Marie Ellis Welsh, died on July 10. My brother, “Whitey”, visited with her and her husband, Harold, the day before.

Many of you had a similar year. A family member or close friend was taken by death. We go on living, but life will never again be what it once was. Life never stays the same for very long. It is forever changing.

We recall the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt: “I hate war.” I do not know of anyone who disagrees with him. And we can all add, “I hate death.” The war in Iraq, earthquakes in Iran, floods, fires, and famine are all cataclysmic events that totally disrupt life as we have known it.

As I left 2003 and moved into 2004 there were things for which I express my deepest gratitude. I thank God that I live in the freest and most prosperous country in the world and, most of all, that we have freedom of worship in spite of all that is done to limit and destroy it. As I have traveled across the world, I always return with unbounded happiness in knowing that my home is in the United States.

I am thankful that in these difficult times in world history we have a President like George W. Bush, whom I first met many years ago and for whom I have a growing sense of profound appreciation. He is a man of deep faith, strong conviction, a sense of civility and an intellectual capacity that his critics seem to completely miss as it soars over their heads. I thank God that he has surrounded himself with leaders like Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfield, John Ashcroft, Condoleezza Rice, and Dick Cheney.

It has been my privilege to know state and national leaders of both major political parties. I pray each day for President Bush, his cabinet, the Congress, the Supreme Court and other leaders. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have a firm grip on all the virtue or vice in our nation. We are not a perfect people, but we can do better.

How do we prepare for the unexpected and the tragic events of life? My best advice is to be sure that you “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with are your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30 NIV) and that you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and what it means to “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your family will be saved” (Act 16:31 NET).

Every year some of the best things will happen as well as some of the worst things. You may latch onto these words from the New Testament book of Hebrews: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (6:19 NIV). Anchor your life in the eternal hope we have in the living God.

in time square, there are hundreds of homeless people who live there and "do their thing" there on a daily basis, and no one pays attention to them. however, come new year's even, thousands invade their homes and normalcy and they declare their own, for that one night. the homeless are quickly scurried off from the vicinity while thousands of others enjoy their home. i feel somewhat sympathetic towards them...i know if some strangers were to invade my house and declare their own without my permission, i would be some irritated if not outright irrate. i am so thankful that Christ is constantly inviting me to invade His territory and to enjoy it with Him. i am very unworthy guest and he is an all-worthy host, but He seems to not mind the filth and grotesque i bring along to the scene...he just deals with it and moves on. i need to be a host like Jesus is and learn to invite those who might be gross, but are in need of love. i was certainly the one in need of love, but this whole relationship with Christ thing tends to take care of things for me. now it is my duty to do the same for others, and show them how they can experience this same void-filler i experience daily.
(scg)