GENESIS 3:1
Reading:
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)
Time: Approximately 4000 BC
Characters: Eve, Snake
Place: Garden of Eden (modern day Iraq)
What's Happening: The snake is tempting Eve.
Prayer
Dear God,
There are elements in my life that are trying to seduce me. They
come from the most unexpected places. I'm sure Eve never expected
a snake to talk to her. She wasn't ready and probably got lazy
in her luxurious garden lifestyle. I pray that I'm ready for whatever
Satan tosses my way and that I immediately recognize him in disguise.
Behind every temptation is a snake ready to coil up and bite me,
injecting its venomous disobedience into my veins. I must keep
my distance because the attack can happen so fast. Before I know
it, it would be too late. Give me eyes to spot the snakes and
always be on guard. Help me not to be lured in by crafty talk.
ADDITIONAL PRAYER
"I am weak in the area of…"
"In my life, Satan usually disguises himself as a…"
"I am prepared against seduction because…"
GENESIS 3:2-5
Reading:
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 surely
die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows
that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will
be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:2-5)
Time: Approximately 4000 BC
Characters: Eve, Snake
Place: Garden of Eden (modern day Iraq)
What's Happening: The snake is tempting Eve.
Prayer
Dear God,
Lord, all the time there are these little voices in my head that
contradict what you say. They twist your truth and undermine your
law. The voices tell me I'll be fine on my own, to do my own thing,
to follow my instincts. They say that You will forgive me, that
You really don't care, and that You probably won't see what I'm
doing. They want me to rationalize and say that my circumstance
is different-that when you made a commandment, it didn't really
apply to my situation. The voices are sneaky and convincing, but
I need to drown them out with Your truth. When you say something
you mean it. Your rules don't change or alter for any situation,
but apply to all situations. I am not a special case or an exception.
I am exactly who you are trying to protect from sin. Thank you
for your warnings. I pray I hear only one voice today…Yours.
ADDITIONAL PRAYER
"Thank you for giving us free will…"
"There are areas in my life that are off limits…"
"I rationalize when it comes to…"
GENESIS 3:6-7
Reading:
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 3:6-7)
Time: Approximately 4000 BC
Characters: Eve, Adam, Snake
Place: Garden of Eden (modern day Iraq)
What's Happening: The snake is tempting Eve. Eve tempts Adam.
Prayer
Dear God,
Lord, I know there is nothing wrong with fruit. Fruit is not a
sin. Eating fruit is not a sin. Eve did not commit a sin just
because she ate fruit. Eve committed a sin because you said not
to eat the fruit. Eve did not follow directions. Our lives come
with directions and many times we misuse the good things you give
us. Sex is not a sin, unless we fail to follow directions. Work
is not a sin, unless we make it our god. Food is not a sin, unless
we overeat. There are many fruits that look good and taste good,
but aren't good because you have told us the right thing to do.
If I am going to be "fruitful" today, I need to know
the difference. Help me today to follow directions. Not only for
myself, but so I don't cause others to sin too.
ADDITIONAL PRAYER
"There are areas of my life that look
good, but aren't good for me…"
"There are other people I am causing to sin…"
"I feel naked in the area of…"
GENESIS 3:8-13
Reading:
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he
was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid
from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD
God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered,
"I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was
naked; so I hid." And he said, "Who told you that you
were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you
not to eat from?" The man said, "The woman you put here
with me-she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have
done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and
I ate." (Genesis 3:8-13)
Time: Approximately 4000 BC
Characters: God, Adam, Eve, Snake
Place: Garden of Eden (modern day Iraq)
What's Happening: Adam and Eve are confronted by God.
Prayer
Dear God,
God, it's so tempting to blame others for my situation. "If
my parents had only raised me differently…" "If
I only got that job…" "If only my spouse would
be more understanding…" "If only…" has
been around since Adam and it didn't work then. Adam took that
fruit from Eve. The fruit you said not to touch. Nobody forced
him. He knew the rules. Adam is to blame for his own sin. There
are people in my life that I'm pointing fingers at too-those who
led me the wrong way. I must remember, they only offered the choice
of committing sin. I ultimately made the decision to follow them.
If they are presently tempting me to commit sin, I must stop hanging
around them. If the act occurred in the past, I must forgive them.
ADDITIONAL PRAYER
"I usually blame _________ for my
situation."
"Sin has caused an unhealthy fear in the area of…"
"I hear you calling me to repent…"
GENESIS 3:14-20
Reading:
To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate
from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of
it,'
"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, and you will eat the plants of the field. (Genesis 3:17-18)
Time: Approximately 4000 BC
Characters: God, Adam, Eve, Snake
Place: Garden of Eden (modern day Iraq)
What's Happening: The snake and man are chastised for their disobedience.
Prayer
Dear God,
God, some days, life is so hard. Real hard. We work and work all
day and what comes of it? We pull the weeds up from our lives,
then, guess what, one week later…more weeds. Opportunities
seem to dry up and our attitudes get hardened. Problems grow and
choke the life out of us. Thorns of hurt prick us and leave us
vulnerable with open wounds. Life is no paradise and it shouldn't
be. Then we would never want to leave here and go to the place
where there is no toil, hurt or hopelessness. Life is hard so
heaven is more attractive. Real paradise awaits us and before
we know it, we'll be there.
ADDITIONAL PRAYER
"Sin has hardened me in the area of…"
"Thorns and thistles have sprung up in the area of…"
"Thank you this won't last forever. Thank you for the promise
of heaven!"
GENESIS 3:21-24
Reading:
The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed
them. And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like
one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach
out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and
live forever." So the LORD God banished him from the Garden
of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After
he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden
of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to
guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:21-24)
Time: Approximately 4000 BC
Characters: God, Adam, Eve
Place: Garden of Eden (modern day Iraq)
What's Happening: The Garden is closed.
Prayer
Dear God,
Lord, I must understand that the good times don't last forever.
Not because you want to spoil the party, but because I spoiled
the party through my disobedience. There has to be consequences
to my actions. During the best times, when everything is going
right and all my needs are met, I begin to drift away from you.
I become too relaxed in my relationship with you, forgetting the
things I need to do to keep us close. The "garden" describes
the perfect relationship between you and me, sinless, pure and
perfect. Driving me out of the garden makes me wish for the garden
again. Once I feel what it's like to be away from you, I must
do everything in my power to get back to you.
ADDITIONAL PRAYER
"Thank you for providing for me despite
my disobedience…"
"I need to get back to you in the area of…"
"My sin is saying that I know what's best for me. Forgive
me…"
