Continueing the journey...

Whomever believes that a spiritual walk can be easy is completely off base. At least that's what I've decided. I need more prayer in my life. I am feeling like reading this book is forcing me to comprehend things that I hardly understand or fathom. I have to say that it has led me through many emotions. One of which right now is frustration, just because after I read sometimes I am just thoroughly exhausted. Mentally speaking. Ellen White can have really complex sentences and thoughts sometimes. It can be difficult. However, I think my vocabulary is improving. And two, I think that I am actually developing more patience and better people skills. Who would have thought it would come from reading this most mornings. Not me. However, I really think it's just a little diet with God when I can.
'When I can..' is not where I want to be in my spiritual walk. This past week I prayed for God to wake me up. Just so I could read or pray. He woke me up around 2-3 am a few times. Sometimes He let me sleep. I have to say, last week was a difficult week.

Moving on...'The Temptation and the Fall. I think it is an interesting perspective that Ellen White suggests that Satan was moved by envy. The reason he wanted to see the human race fall was because deep down inside he recognized what he had lost and wanted us to be there with him. Never thought about it that way.

So Eve left Adams side. Lesson learned here, two are more powerful than one. I am learning the meaning of this two better than one lesson. Think about it. It's not that Eve left Adam's side. It's that when she left Adam's side she was able to wonder and ask the 'Why' questions about God's law in her head. A couple is supposed to be each others spiritual accountability partners. Not being cohesive spirtually as a couple actually impedes one's relationship with God!

She came upon a talking Serpent. Key word Eve talking... It said that had the fallen angel stood before her in reality she would have been terrified. However, the fact that a beautiful serpent was only talking actually excited and amused her.

Eve! Please! And thus, the challenge was presented to woman. "If God is so loving, as He says, then why won't He let you eat the fruit of this tree?" "Did you ever think it's because He wants to hold it over you? To always be above you?" "He does not want you to be above Him!"

Oh the jealousy in those very statements. Those words dripped with a clear venom that stung the heart of Eve. Her brain must have went numb. She ate the fruit. And she got Adam to eat the fruit.

Ellan White talks about how the devil leads us into sin by manipulating us to think that we are embarking on a new field of knowledge. This is officially THE oldest trick in his book...and it still works! I have friends who think that being part of the church is shallow minded...it's not 'deep'. Just as my friend who felt evolution being spoke into action by God was 'deep'. These other friends believe that filling their minds with 'new' experiences drugs, sex with multiple partners, or atheism is 'deep'. Following the doctrines and beliefs of a church is completely shallow. I know someone who once said the C.S. Lewis and his book "The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe" was a cliche and taboo story. It was boring and all who thought it was so great were disillusioned. A GREAT classic! Essentially a story pointing to the sacrifice and Crucifixion of Jesus! The war against evil! Good triumphing sin! How is that shallow? I have no idea...because I haven't embarked down that 'path of enlightenment'.

It's just like the Greek philosophers stating that the soul is separate from the body. That it doesn't matter what one does to the body as long as the soul is pure. Sound familiar still? There are many activities that lead us down that path of 'enlightenment'.
I really need to go to bed now. I think that God understands this is a very long chapter with many thoughts. I will blog more another time. I pray that someone out there is inspired to read more about this like I am. Who knows right? These days we all need more God in our lives.

Signing out and headed to dreamland!

Goodnight!
Sara Sue