Living In Eden Feeling Deprived (104E)

Genesis 3

James R. Davis

Eve had it all, but there was something nagging her. There was this tree that she could not touch and whose fruit she could not eat growing right in the midst of paradise. What a paradox? God saw that everything was good and Eve lost sight of everything that was good. Eve focused on this one tree that she was forbidden to touch and whose fruit she couldn't eat. Eve focused on her deprivation. Given man's freedom, intelligence, and natural curiosity you can only wonder if that was probably eating at her before Satan asked, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 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 3:1-5) "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." (Genesis 3:6)

I do a lot of work at home on the computer. I used to go into the office and close the door where Dakota, who is my three-year-old grandson, wouldn't bother me. But the whole time the door was closed he would stand outside the door saying "papaw, let me in" or "papaw, open the door". I know that you have probably experienced something like this with your own children. But I discovered something. If I leave the door open, he doesn't bother me very often. I can work for an hour or so and I have to go see what he is up to. He is usually watching television or in his room playing with his toys. But the minute he knows the door is closed, he will stop everything and start banging on the door and saying, "papaw, open the door." There is a nature even within innocent children that inclines them to want what they can't have.

Have you ever noticed that no matter how many toys our children have they are never satisfied until they get the latest one that has hit the market? And when our children want a new toy, we might say something like, "Well, you've got a room full of toys that you don't play with now." But if you are at Kmart this usually doesn't work, they usually just cry louder.

A few weeks ago I saw a child across the street from where I live playing with an unusual toy. I said something about the toy to the parent. The parent indicated that she was at the store the day before and the child wanted the toy but she didn't buy it. The child cried all the way home. She said that when she got home the child continued to throw such a fit that she went back to the store and bought it just to shut her up. Children are not the only ones who have this problem. (By the way she told that in front of the child. Do you think the child will know what to do the next time she wants something?)

Our world today tells us that we can have it all. Advertisers play the Devil's advocate and convince us that we need it all, the latest gadget, shampoo, car, appliance, the house, etc. They suggest that life cannot be experienced fully without having it all. The sad part about all this is that when we are kept from having it all we concentrate on what is denied. We stop enjoying what we have. We ponder what we are forbidden. What is forbidden or denied becomes the focus or our lives. So Satan steps in and tells Eve that she can have it all. Satan is urging us to forget the many blessings we have and to concentrate on the forbidden. So Eve began to reason why she should have it all, it looks good, taste good, would bring pleasure, and it would wise me up. Who couldn't use all those things? So she began to feel deprived in a land of plenty.

Feeling Deprived In A Land of Plenty

It is really hard to imagine or envision being deprived living in paradise, isn't it? . . . . On second thought maybe we can imagine that! Almost daily we find ourselves repeating the sins of Adam and Eve. We experience the same nagging frustration afresh in our lives everyday as our flesh, our eyes and our minds cry out for the same things. If we can't have it we feel somewhat deprived. Often we take matters into our own hands and we rationalize in our minds why we should have it all. We say to ourselves "It looks good, taste good, would feel good and after all it would enhance my self -image. So we start working toward obtaining the forbidden. Everyone is encouraging us not to consider the cost or the consequences of indulging ourselves with this one more thing, which we need. After all we can "charge it to MASTERCARD."

It is amazing how that in our own minds and hearts we create our own private worlds in which to live. These worlds are created irregardless of our bountiful circumstances. We can live in a land of plenty or even in Eden but we can create a world in our hearts and minds where we feel deprived.

The really sad thing is that our energies go toward the focus of our attention. In other words, my focus determines how I act. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. The world too easily captivates our minds. We become blinded, paralyzed by the things denied.

Power To Recreate Our Private World

The only way that Eve could have seen the world differently was by thinking differently. In essence she had the power in her heart and mind to create a much better world for herself. When we focus our attention on what we don't have then our world becomes a world of deprivation. We are no different from Eve living in the land of plenty and wishing to have it better. The raw truth is that's how most of us are living! We create a world of deprivation by our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes.

Wherever your attention goes your energy flows. A good idea can get even better as its possibilities for greater good are explored. The more good you can see and praise, the more you direct creative energy to positive results. Even in situations that at first appear difficult or unpleasant, focus to see all the good you can. And bless the good you can see. Praise the good and watch it multiply. The opposite is also true, if we focus on the negative our world becomes a negative place to live. Then our world will become a world of deprivation.

Ezra endeavored to refocus the Jews in Jerusalem as they were coming out of Babylonian captivity. Instead of leaving them focused on their fears and anxiety of what was lacking, Ezra focused their attention on the Lord and thereby redirected their energies. They were lacking plenty, Jerusalem was in shambles, the temple was destroyed and the walls of the city were collapsed.

Ezra 3:3-6
Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening sacrifices. Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the pointed sacred feasts of the LORD, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the LORD. On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, though the foundation of the LORD's temple had not yet been laid.

They refocused by CELEBRATING God, the Feast of Tabernacles which was a reminder of how God had cared for their descendants as they wandered in the wilderness living in tents. The New Moon sacrifices. The daily sacrifices. Ezra refocused their thinking on the good, on the blessing, not on the curse that had brought them to ruin in Babylon.

The greatest benefits of worship are that it helps us build and maintain proper attitudes. The person whose worship is focused on God is a positive person because he/she has a certain solid hope regardless of life's circumstances. The true participant understands God's sovereign, unalterable purposes. As one's understanding of God grows, worship deepens and attitudes change. As difficulty increases or discouragement creeps in, worship keeps one's perspective focused on God. Worship is sensing Christ's presence, lifting him up, exalting him, responding to him, with hearts filled with praise and thanksgiving, ready to respond in obedience.

Focusing on what we feel that we have been deprived of creates anxiety. Paul says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:6-9)

When you read the book of Ephesians, Paul addresses their lifestyle in the last three chapters. He mentioned stealing, filthy conversation, being drunk, bitterness, unforgiveness and the spiritual warfare they were to wage with the help of God. But initially in the first three chapters he just burst out in praise. The first three chapters are mostly about God. Paul is CELEBRATING God. Paul is praising what God has done for us, how God has chosen, forgiven, redeemed, made us accepted, and adopted us as his own and even raised us up to sit in heavenly places with Christ. Paul was trying to direct their attention to God in an effort to get it off of themselves. If he could do that, then with the help of God, who had so blessed them, positive things would happen and they would become God's new creation in Christ. (Ephesians 2:10) Paul begins with God, with the creator of heaven and earth who, in an amazing act of divine graciousness he has chosen, adopted, forgiven, redeemed and loved us beyond anything we can imagine.

Philippians 4:11-13
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him [Christ] who gives me strength.

This kind of thinking doesn't come easy. Paul had to learn it. Someone said, "If you can't have everything, then be satisfied with everything you have." Adhering to this simple truth would make our lives so much better.

Paul accomplished this in the most difficult times. Philippians is one of his prison epistles. That means he was sitting in a jail cell for his faith in Christ while writing. Paul shared some of his troubled times with the Corinthians "To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world." (1 Corinthians 4:11-13) But notice how Paul refocuses his thinking. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9) "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." (1 Timothy 6:6-8) God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6)

"Contentment is recognizing what you have, rather than what you lack."

"When you can't have everything, be thankful for everything you have."

I Must Accept Responsibility

You can't blame others for your focus. By thinking they were deprived Adam and Eve created a world of shame in which to live. Then they endeavored to place the blame elsewhere. Adam told God, "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 3:12-13) So in essence "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator..." (Romans 1:25) They deliberately chose to believe lies but chose to place blame elsewhere. You can't blame your parents or your teachers because they're not holding on to you anymore. With God's help you can change your focus anytime you wish. The wonderful thing about it is that you have the freedom to make the choice.

We believe that God is holding out on us. Eating the forbidden wasn't the essence of the problem. Eve blamed her deprivation on God. When she ate of the fruit she was already convinced that God was holding out on her. God didn't want her to be like him, which is to know good and evil. God didn't want her to be as wise as him. Eve was blaming God for what was denied even before she ate of the fruit. We begin to distrust the goodness of God and His graciousness to us.

We are like Gideon who was living in a difficult time. Suffering the torment of raiding parties. He had to thresh his grain at night to keep the enemies from riding in and taking it. Gideon asks a question of the angel that appeared to him. "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." (Judges 6:13) The Lord began to refocus his thinking. "The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together." Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me." (Judges 6:14-17)

Notice that Gideon was focused on the negative, "If God be with us then why?" Focused on his deprivation, he certainly was deprived by his enemies, he had difficulty seeing God. The angel refocused his attention on God. Not some self-help book, or some positive thinking course but on GOD. God worked with him, gave him a sign and Gideon refocused his attention and built a much better world for himself and his countrymen.

We see in the story of Gideon that grace is a two-edged sword. God's graceful discipline had brought them the circumstances in which they found themselves. They had rejected God's decrees, abhorred his laws, failed in obedience, and violated his covenant. Moses warned of God's judgement and God's discipline. When Gideon was asking, "Why Lord?" They were actually being punished by the graceful hand of God for taking his grace for granted. For living in a land of plenty and feeling deprived. Moses warned the Jews before they set foot in the promise land.

Leviticus 26:14-17
But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.

Today we speak almost entirely of the goodness of God's grace forgiveness, redemption, and acceptance. Paul preached the goodness of God's grace in the first three chapters of Ephesians. When John was addressing the church of Ephesus in the seven letters to the seven churches in Asia, he preached about God's graceful hand bringing judgment on the church because the Ephesians had left their first love. Those newcomers to Christ probably need to hear about the goodness of God's grace and that is exactly what Paul did for the newly converted church of Ephesians. He reminded them that they had been saved by grace. But about thirty years later, to the same church that was now taking God's grace for granted and left their first love, John preached the judgment of God's grace. (Revelation 3:1-7)

God came to the Garden asking, "Where are you?" "Who told you that you were naked?" God's graceful hand of judgement drove them from the Garden causing them to earn their living by the sweat of their brow, to have painful labor in childbirth and the ground was cursed. We live with the pain of that judgement everyday. The question is where are you? The judgement of God must be heard by Christians today living in spiritual Eden and taking God's immeasurable grace for granted. Are we are living in spiritual Eden feeling deprived?

Someone said, "There is too much atheism in the modern church. That is, too many sermons, too much church activity, and mostly about us and too little about God." How many times have you heard people say things like, "The purpose of a sermon is to show me where I have gone wrong and then to motivate me to do right"? Or we say, "Church is where we go to find out how to live better lives." The focus is on what we want, what we lack and we have lost sight of God. The focus is still on us. The graceful hand of God comes to bring us to our knees in order that we might look up and see wonderful Creator.

Conclusion:

A better world for you begins with you focused on God, focused on not what you lack but on what you have! If you have forgotten the blessings of spiritual Eden, a better world, a better church and a better you begins by focusing on and worshipping God and being grateful for the wonderful spiritual blessings he has provided.

It is within your power to refocus your life today. It is a matter of choice. You have the same choice that was given to Adam and Eve. You can choose to dwell on what is lacking, and there may be many things lacking in your world, in your congregation and in your life. Or you can focus on God who is able to work all things for your good. (Romans 8:26-31)

You begin by focusing on God by looking to Christ. His sacrifice for your sins. His life that was lived as an example to follow. His redemption, forgiveness, and acceptance. Focus on the fact that he chose to save you. You can accept that redemption, forgiveness by confessing his name, accepting his sacrifice and changing your mind about the way life ought to be lived. Crucify self and bury that old selfish sinful nature in baptismal water and rise to refocus your life on Christ. (Romans 6:1-4) The choice is yours. God gave you the freedom to make the right choice. It is a major choice in life. God will help you make it.