Act Like a Manنموونە

Following God’s Word (or not) Will Change Everything

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

"Foundations don’t have to be fancy, but they have to be strong. When a foundation is weak, everything resting on it is at risk,” wrote Tony Evans. God created man before woman. Like building any firm structure, the foundation came first. Before Eve appeared on earth, Adam was given authority over creation.

God gave His creation boundaries. Light was separated from darkness and land from the sea. But unlike the rest of creation, God spoke directly to Adam—and Adam understood his boundaries.

God said, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely…” God gave freely from the jump. But is freedom without responsibility free? God said, “But from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat…” Scholars say God’s command to Adam against eating the fruit was for Adam to worship God—to show his devotion.

God gave rules—Adam disobeyed. What was at stake when Adam didn’t listen? Well, what’s at stake when you don’t listen? Sin is always against God. Sin is deciding to do what you want instead of what God wants.

Sadly, Adam’s actions not only defined his manhood but the manhood of every man since that decision. God was clear to Adam: don’t eat the fruit. Adam did not follow God's Word; everything that followed became infected.

Following God’s Word takes courage. You will be pulled by the world…money, pressure to conform, and momentary temptations. It takes courage to obey God over everything. Take courage, walk obediently, and everything will be changed. When faced with temptation, strength comes from God's Word.

What’s one specific area in your life that requires courage to align with God's Word?