Pastor's Blog

By divine design, there is a price to our being chosen by the Lord. Therefore, the Lord placed the beauty of spirituality within. It can be seen only by a spiritual perception that is given to those who truly desire the Lord. Therefore, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). By divine arrangement, it takes a determined effort to press through, and behold the beauty of the Lord. Few will pay the price of separation from the tree of knowledge in order to be chosen.

The enemy said, “You will not die, but you will become as gods being able to choose for yourselves” (Genesis 3:4-5). Eve “ate” this right to “self determination” and gave to Adam, who also partook. Today, we are yet paying a terrible price for mankind becoming “as gods” and ruling himself, apart from His Creator.

After their disobedience by partaking, the Lord came to walk with Adam, who hid from His presence. Adam said that he hid because he was “naked.” He had not lost his clothing, but rather, he lost the “Shekinah covering” that enabled him to abide in the manifest presence and glory of the Lord.

This Shekinah now became as a “flaming sword,” to keep the way of the tree of life. The Lord hindered Adam from partaking of the tree of life, and as a result, the process that leads to physical death set in; “lest Adam put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever” (Genesis 3:22-24).

Spiritually, Adam died instantly and lost the covering that enabled him to live in the presence of the Lord. Also, less apparent, he physically died within one day. Peter tells us that one day is as a thousand years. Adam, and all who followed him, died short of a thousand year day.

Adam and Eve “ate” the right to choose for themselves, which then became a part of them. The Lord slew an animal - the first application of blood redemption, and covered them with the skin of this animal. Their sin was forgiven, but what they had eaten remained in them - the right to choose for themselves.

Each of us has been born with this right of choice. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior, we were forgiven and we became a new creation, but this right to choose for ourselves remained with us. We gained it in the Garden of Eden and the Lord will not take it from us, but, we can give up this right to our own lives.

In the Year of Jubilee, slaves were set free. If they chose to remain a slave, their ear was placed on the post of a door and pierced (Exodus 21:6). Years ago, during a service in which this became a reality to me, I went forward to the pulpit and expressed my desire to give up the right to my own life. The edge of the pulpit suddenly became (to me) the post of this door, and I placed my ear on the edge of the pulpit and asked the Lord to pierce it. He would not take the right to my life from me, but He accepted it when I willingly gave it to Him.

More than once I have complained and said, “Lord this is not right.” The Lord has always responded, “You have no rights, as you freely gave them up.” Over many years, I have learned that the Lord knows best. This understanding did not come immediately, but I have found that I am far better off, having unconditionally submitted my life to Him.