One Sunday morning my family and I arrived at church. As my wife was getting out of the vehicle her foot got tangled in the strap of her Bible case. She quickly caught her balance before she fell. I jokingly told her, “don’t get tripped up on the Word.” She replied, “it wasn’t the Word that I got tripped up on, but what I added to it.”
There is a lot of truth in that right there. We tend to add things to the Word that aren’t there, these things can get us tripped up. Don’t think so? Well not to upset your tradition, but let’s look at a few examples.
The Bible does not say that there were 3 wise men, but 3 gifts. There could have been many wise men. The Bible doesn’t say that the fruit in the garden was an apple. It just says fruit. Now these things may not trip you up, but they are additions that we have accepted.
Speaking of the fruit in the garden though. Follow me for a moment in my thoughts on this. First, let’s look at what God told Adam.
Genesis 2:16-17 KJV
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Now let’s look at what Eve says to the serpent about the fruit.
Genesis 3:2-3 KJV
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Did you catch it? Eve said that God said don’t eat it and don’t touch it. Now that’s not what God told Adam. God told Adam not to eat it. Where did Eve get this idea then? It is my belief that Adam told Eve this. I don’t think it was malicious, but in love. As an extra layer of protection he may have thrown this in and said don’t even touch it. Well this could have possibly led to Eve getting tripped up. If the serpent was already touching the fruit she would have seen that he hadn’t died and then it would have made her doubt God’s Words. Whether this is how it played out or not, I can’t say. I can say though that Eve was saying things that God did not say.
How does this apply to us today? Too many people get tripped up when they run into trouble because they think everything is supposed to be great in life. There’s no promise of sunshine and lollipops in the Bible. There are many great and precious promises in the Word of God.
It says in
Philippians 4:19 KJV But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
But it says a few verses earlier
Philippians 4:11-12 KJV 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
It says in
Luke 6:38 KJV Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
And a few verses earlier
Luke 6:27-28 KJV
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
How about this? In John 16:33 Jesus says be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. That’s the part that people like to quote. That is only the last part of the scripture. Look at the whole verse.
John 16:33 KJV These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Jesus promised tribulations or trouble in other translations.
So what am I trying to say? I think Jesus said it best in
Mark 4:16-17 BBE
16 And in the same way, these are they who are planted on the stones, who, when the word has come to their ears, straight away take it with joy;
17 And they have no root in themselves, but go on for a time; then, when trouble comes or pain, because of the word, they quickly become full of doubts.
We must let our roots grow deep into the Word of God. So that when troubles arise we are not offended because of the Word of God. If we continue to learn from the Word of God and not add to it or take away from it. If we fall in love with it. Then when troubles arise we can say as Paul did and rejoice in our sufferings. Colossians 1:24.
Psalm 119:165 KJV Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
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