Review

Last month, we introduced a new series called “Hustle.”

It calls out the hurried tempo of our lives.

And it asks us to invest time with God.

Which in turn aligns our pace and priorities to match the Heavenly Father’s.

This message places a strong emphasis on slowing down so that we can prioritize our time with God.

The Tree… Yeah That

Genesis 3:6 (ESV): ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Genesis 3:6 (ESV): ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and [saw] that it was a delight to the eyes, and [saw] that the tree was to be desired to make one wise…

Genesis 2:19 (ESV): ¹⁹ Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

Genesis 2:22–23 (ESV): ²² And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. {If we follow the logic: “to see what He would name her} ²³ Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

Why Darkness is Such a Big Deal

Proverbs 4:19 (ESV):¹⁹ The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV): ⁴ In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Acts 26:16–18 (ESV): ¹⁶ But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, ¹⁷ delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you ¹⁸ to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Colossians 1:13–14 (ESV): ¹³ He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV): ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

The Age of Reason

Matthew 5:28 (ESV): ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

1 John 2:15–17 (ESV): ¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

 

“The world is Satan’s advertising agency.”–Dr. Hart Ramsey

• Satan rebrands evil as good and death as life.

Proverbs 10:22 (ESV): ²² The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

 

© Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2024