EPHESIANS 2 THE GIFT OF FAITH

November 6

EPHESIANS 2

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the courseof this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 ButGod, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:1-10

EPHESIANS 2 THE GIFT OF FAITH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God chose his own people, he poured out his grace

With the outpouring you received salvation through the gift of faith

If you were not given this gift, you won’t be able to receive it

We can only say yes to believe in Christ when we were given his Spirit

No one can boast that he has faith because it only comes from God

Nobody can produce faith as it is only given to those who are elect

It is only by the grace and sovereignty of God that you were chosen

Do not ever think that you deserved any of it or that you can achieve it.

There are so many misnomers about what faith is. Some people think that it comes from the will of the individual. Others think that it comes from their emotions. Others think that it comes from their own abilities to gauge whether it will benefit them or not. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines faith as something that is believed as with a strong conviction. From this definition, it makes sense to think that it is the will of the person that is the root or source of the faith. Another definition from this dictionary says it is complete trust in something or someone. From this other definition, we could say that it is a form of relinquishing one’s will to someone or something else. In other words, to give the thing you believe in the power to control you. No wonder, many cults are able to generate blind following of their beliefs. These definitions are from the world. True faith is not at all these concepts.

Paul defines faith in this account as a gift given to us by God through his grace. God gave his chosen people faith as a channel so that they can continually live holy lives. Faith makes us receive the new life that Jesus gave us when he sacrificed his own life for our reconciliation with God. Faith makes us hope for those promises that God gave his own people. It makes us rely and trust God even in trials.  

REFLECTION

·       What does this account on faith show the difference from the world view of faith?

MATTHEW 21 FAITH MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE TRANSPIRE

November 5

Matthew 21

18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”– Matthew 21:18-22

MATTHEW 21 FAITH MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE TRANSPIRE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you think beyond the box, you can imagine the impossible

God gave us a mind that is not fearful but is sound and powerful

When you pray, do not have doubts so you can receive your requests

Without faith, nothing you hope for will ever be answered or granted

With faith you can bring to life what is dead and what is lifeless

And without it, you will live a life of confusion and fruitlessness

As you believe in the power of God, you share in that same power

Your faith is the only way you can win and make the devil cower.

In this gospel of Matthew, we are given a clear picture of the power of faith. This account narrates the event when the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to the fig tree by the wayside as they passed by it. He commanded it to wither since it has not been fruitful but just produced leaves instead. It reminds me of these other verses in the bible about fruitlessness and not abiding in Christ: John 15:6 -Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. John 15:2 – 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. Matthew 3:10- Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. What Jesus did to the fig tree symbolizes believers or any man who is fruitless in their deeds, they deserve to be burned or annihilated as Jesus withered the fig tree. It is a consequence of the uselessness of God’s people. They live a dead life.

Faith as emphasized here shows us its power. In verse 21, Jesus himself challenges his disciples to exercise faith so that they can also manifest its power just like he did in commanding that fig tree to wither and die. He further gave them another example of how even mountains can be moved by the power of faith. Of course, this is a figurative speech that explains that anything is possible if you have faith. Prayers without faith can do nothing. As the book of James says in 1:6-8 if we don’t ask in faith, we have a double-mind and are very unstable just like the waves of the sea blown by the wind. If we have no faith, we need not expect anything from God.

REFLECTION

·       Why do people still not apply faith as they pray or hope for something despite its power?

1 JOHN 5 FAITH OVERCOMES THE WORLD

November 4

1 JOHN 5

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  – 1 John 5:1-12

1 JOHN 5 FAITH OVERCOMES THE WORLD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If we were given the gift to believe that Jesus is the Son of God

And if we trust that his sacrifice on the cross will save us

There is nothing in the world that can lure us to be deceived

To accept that gift of faith is shown in obeying God’s commands

It is to recognize that without faith, we are going to be defeated

Faith is the only weapon we have against the devil’s devices

When we strongly believe that God is our only protection

We will surely overcome the lies and triumph over temptations.

In this account, the Lord reveals to John his beloved disciple how to overcome the world. In our humanity, we think that to triumph over the devil is to yell or call him out. The more we rely on our own strategies to win over this corrupt world, the more we will fail. The Lord gives us a clear guideline and a step-by-step process to be overcomers. We do not use physical and mental faculties to fight with spiritual unseen forces, but we apply our faith and the truth to eradicate these strongholds that are built by the devil to hinder us from believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 10:10, we are told that the purpose of the devil is to steal, kill and destroy us at any cost, while Jesus’ goal is to give us life and live it to the fullest. In this account, we are given the blueprint to win over the systems and corruption of the world. Before we can follow the steps, we need to be chosen by God himself. With that election, we are given the gift of faith. We need to keep that faith active and alive as we continually love others, especially the people of God. With the truth given to us in God’s word plus our faith, nothing can destroy us at all.

REFLECTION

  • Why do some believers fail to triumph over temptations to sin?

HEBREWS 11 WHAT FAITH IS

November 3

HEBREWS 11

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

                                                                                      – Hebrews 11:1-8

HEBREWS 11 WHAT FAITH IS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Faith is not just a work of our mind, it is a gift from God

It is a result of God choosing us to belong in his sheepfold

It is the gift that allows us to receive truth without doubt

It is the mirroring of God’s own plan in every man’s heart

No human can fabricate faith because it is supernatural

Without faith, we can never please our Lord and Maker

Faith is not something we can achieve or coerce to have

It is up to God whether he will choose us or not.

This chapter in the book of Hebrews focuses on giving us a clear definition of faith based on God’s view. Many people think of faith in the world’s perspective. I remember having heard of a church called “Achiever’s Faith.” I knew from its name that there is something not right with the meaning of faith. I’ve never had the courage to ask my friend and her Pastor husband (who has now passed away) why they gave their church that name. I believe that words are very important and if you do not choose the right words or label, it will draw confusion and obscurity. I just looked at this international ministry online now and found out that their mission is to raise giants and champions. What that means seems so vague. It sounds more like a coaching platform rather than a true church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is focused on “human effort” rather than divine choice that was given to each of those whom God has chosen. It seemed like we could work our way to have faith. The writer of Hebrews has a different meaning from that “Achiever’s Faith” church I mentioned. In this book, the writer defines faith as a God-given gift.  It is totally God’s work and humans have no participation in achieving it. It is freely given by God alone.

REFLECTION

·       What do you observe are some misconceptions of “faith” in the churches today?

JAMES 2 FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD

November 2

JAMES 2

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what goodis that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

                                                                                      – James 2:14-25

JAMES 2 FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you say you believe in God but do nothing to show it

Faith without works is dead and is not a fruit of the Spirit

That faith is useless and does not have power to save you

When your faith is not actively displayed, that is not from God

That is a work of your flesh and it will hinder you from serving

The flesh caters only to its lusts, desires and its own cravings

When you were chosen by God to be one of his servants

You were equipped to do good works to build each other up

The proof of your faith is in your active show of love for your neighbor

It mirrors the love of the Lord that you received when he saved you.

In this account, James clarifies what true and saving faith is. When people think of “faith”, it seems like it is their ability to choose to believe. At least that was how I thought of it before I became a born-again Christian. James explains that faith is something we received when we were chosen by God. With that gift, the Lord also equipped us to exercise the ability to bring into action that belief in the unconditional love that God gave us. He expects us to give that same love we received by his grace towards others. He gives us the example of active faith in Abraham. That faith was tested when he was asked by God to sacrifice his one and only son to him. He didn’t cringe or doubt, he just did it and trusted that the Lord would provide. In the same manner, when he was asked to leave his pagan country at age 75, he didn’t ask where to but followed where God led him. Faith is a complete trust in God’s plan and sovereignty.

REFLECTION

  • What are some wrong notions of faith by those who do not truly understand God’s word?

JAMES 1 TESTING OF YOUR FAITH

November 1

JAMES 1

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grasshe will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. – James 1:2-15

JAMES 1 TESTING OF YOUR FAITH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be tested

You will have to face trials and adversities to strengthen it

It has to be purified and refined for you to be used by God

Your faith is useless if not tested; you’ll be plagued with doubts

So, be joyful when you face all kinds of pain and misery

That is the only sure way you can grow your endurance

When your character has grown, you will have patience

With it, you can courageously face trials with resilience.

Hebrews 11:1 defines for us what faith is, it is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. When we say we have faith in Christ, it means that we believe in the resurrection promise of eternal life to those who believe and it also includes a trust in the divine things that we cannot understand or see that are laid down for us in the word of God. Knowing God intellectually does not constitute true faith. In James 2:19, even the demons believe and shudder that there is only one God. Faith must also include a life of dependence on God in all things. We do not rely on our own understanding or abilities.

In this account, James reveals to us that faith needs to be tested in suffering and trials. He says in verse 12 that when we remain unwavering under trials, we have stood the test and receive the crown of life. Without suffering, we could never claim that we have true faith. It is in the midst of uncertainties and things we cannot understand that we can truly display our total dependence on God’s sovereignty.

REFLECTION

·       Is it possible to grow your faith without going through suffering? Why or why not?

2 KINGS 17 DISOBEDIENCE & LAWLESSNESS ARE IDOLATRY

October 31

2 KINGS 17

32 They also feared the Lord and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. 33 So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.34 To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the Lord, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel. 35 The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, “You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them, 36 but you shall fear the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice. 37 And the statutes and the rules and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, you shall always be careful to do. You shall not fear other gods, 38 and you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not fear other gods, 39 but you shall fear the Lord your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.” 40 However, they would not listen, but they did according to their former manner.41 So these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day. – 2 Kings 17:32-41

2 KINGS 17 DISOBEDIENCE & LAWLESSNESS ARE IDOLATRY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the Lord God made a covenant with you, he expects loyalty

He cannot tolerate your treachery when you commit idolatry

If you disobey his commands to “have no other gods before him”

You are desecrating his nature and giving in to all kinds of sins

He faithfully saved you from all your iniquities and transgressions

Why would you intentionally rebel and give in to all your affections?

As you bow down to other gods, you abandon the One true God

You are deliberately breaking your covenant bows and turning your back.

In this account, the author who is unknown lays down clearly the unfaithfulness of the Israelites to God. Sources say that it might have been the prophet Jeremiah who wrote this book. It narrates how God made a covenant promise with the Israelites and gave them laws to follow so that they will be safe in God’s protection and steadfast love. We are very familiar with the pattern of sin all throughout the bible from the Old to the New Testament, aren’t we? The cycle goes on from God’s love and provision to disobedience to God’s mercy then sin again and God wooing back his people and once again, they do what is right in their own eyes. This pattern is prevalent to all human beings because of the first sin of Adam and Eve. The curse on us is that we will always tend to cater to our own flesh instead of giving praise to the one who gave us life. We make our own idols and turn our backs to God.

REFLECTION

  • How can disobedience and lawlessness be idols?

ISAIAH 42 SHAME TO THOSE WHO TURN TO IDOLS

October 30

ISAIAH 42

For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself;
now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant.
15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools.
16 And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know,
in paths that they have not known I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.
17 They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols,
who say to metal images, “You are our gods.”– Isaiah 42:14-17

ISAIAH 42 SHAME TO THOSE WHO TURN TO IDOLS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When we turn to false gods and pagan idols, we lose our identity

God made us in his own image so we can live a life of purity

Because of the curse of sin, we tend to create our own image

When we cave in to idolatry, we begin to hide from our Maker

This hiding is the constant impenitent turning away from God

It is the shame that results from the sin of worshiping things

If we turn from sin and repent of it, we will be free from shame

Shame stays when we continue to serve ourselves and other gods.

What comes to mind when you hear “Shame on you” spoken to someone or to you? According to Cambridge dictionary, this phrase is an expression of condemnation, disappointment or scolding used to tell someone that they should feel guilty, embarrassed or sorry for something they did. Baker’s Evangelical dictionary on the other hand defines shame as a consequence of sin. It further explains that “feelings of guilt and shame are subjective acknowledgments of an objective spiritual reality. Guilt is judicial in character; shame is relations. Though related to guilt, shame emphasizes sin’s effect on self-identity.” The “shame on you” phrase puts the act and the person together and judged inseparably. Guilt becomes the feeling. Shame according to the bible is the aftermath of turning our back to the image God has placed in every human heart. But God gave us a way out through Christ so we could find our way back to him and repent and not live in that condemnation forever. In Genesis 3, after Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they hid. That was the manifestation of shame. After their identity of belonging to God was twisted into belonging to themselves and to the corrupted world of Satan, they experienced that turning away from their original purpose of glorifying God. They now became obsessed with glorifying their own “self.” They began to make their own identity apart from God. It is the same thing when we serve or bow down to other idols, we are turning our backs to God and towards these idols.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important to understand “shame” in the context of God’s character and plan for man?

REVELATION 2 IDOLATRY IS A STUMBLING BLOCK

October 29

REVELATION 2

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faitheven in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’– Revelation 2:12-17

REVELATION 2 IDOLATRY IS A STUMBLING BLOCK

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As you serve the Lord God Almighty, you will begin to discern

Things that you used to do automatically becomes uncertain

The truth begins to expose the lies that were so predominant

You begin to question all those unloving patterns you engaged in

The word of the Lord begins to challenge you to grow your faith

God’s Spirit shows you all the stumbling block that deters your growth

Idolatry is the highest hindrance to your relationship with God

It is the open door for the devil to keep you hooked into this world

If you keep bowing down to the pursuit of these idols

You will soon become without life and without purpose.

This account is the letter to the church in Pergamum. It is one of the churches where the Lord has revealed his complaints about his people to John the beloved. The Lord God rebukes the spiritual adultery that thrives in this church. They claim that they are believers and yet they engage in acts of idolatry. In verse 13, he calls them out where they dwell, which is Satan’s throne. In verse 14, they were reproved on their divided loyalty to him and to the teachings of Balaam and in verse 15, to the Nicolaitans’ teachings.

The letter to the seven churches is not just addressed to those specific churches but it is a letter to all the Christian churches even in our days. It was a disciplinary letter of a God who loves his people and cares for their progress in their relationship with him. Like a loving Father, he wouldn’t want his children to go astray and be in danger to perish with their divided loyalty to him and to other gods that don’t belong to the kingdom of God. Spiritual adultery which is also idolatry is the biggest hindrance to knowing God and having the fear of the Lord. Because God is a jealous God, he will not want to share his own people with the prince of darkness and the god of confusion.

REFLECTION

·       How can idolatry easily become a stumbling block for a believer? Cite instances.

ISAIAH 46 LIFELESS IDOLS & THE LIVING GOD

October 28

ISAIAH 46

5 “To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?
6 Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship!
7 They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there;
it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble.

8 “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors,
9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other;
 I am God, and there is none like me.  – Isaiah 46:5-9

ISAIAH 46 LIFELESS IDOLS & THE LIVING GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Whenever someone decides to make an idol out of something

They are actually questioning the God who created everything

These people find comfort by having value in their own creation

They have forgotten their true identity which is to praise the living God

These idol-makers become consumed by their abilities and creativity

They have become lifeless as they isolate from God and make their identities

They compare themselves to a God who is divine and the source of life

Without knowing that they are cutting themselves off from life itself

God made all humans into his own image so they could relate to him

These idols are not made to bow down to God since they are dead

No created idols or gods can compare to the Almighty and Living God

It cannot assure anyone or do something about their cries for help.

In this account, the prophet Isaiah speaks out God’s rebuke over the Israelites who have forgotten their covenant with God. God raises a question that is not only for the Israelites to ponder on, but to all those who are believers like us as well: “Who do you compare me to?” Have you ever asked that question to yourself as someone who believes in God? If you are new in the faith, you probably don’t know how to answer that because you haven’t grown in the knowledge of God yet. Just like an infant, you still haven’t made baby steps to desire to know who God is. You are just focused on how you can get your needs met. But because of the aftermath of sin, all humans were thrown into this corrupt world where we lose our identity in Christ. The world system generates a seeking for one’s own identity apart from our Creator.

That’s exactly what the original sin was about: it was to twist our identities into a self-focused one instead of an identity made in the image of God. We carve our own identity instead of cultivating the image that God placed in each human being. Thus, we create things that are a product of our talents and gifts from God. Instead of praising God, we have God-envy which makes us want to prove that we can also be a god. The fall in the garden bent our identities from God-serving to self-serving.

REFLECTION

  • Do you compare God to any other gods when you were a new believer? Share insights.