The Tree of Life

Angry, frustrated, pissed off and confused! These are the adjectives that would describe how I have been feeling right this past week (and even now writing this blog). Yet I am a child of a the King, a royal priesthood or just simply I'M SAVED! The joy of the Lord is my strength, right? What place do these types of emotions have for a Christian? Now I'm even more frustrated because I don't know why!!! How often do we feel this way and how often do we wallow in this low state of mind. I cant front it is comforting to be down in the dumps and everyone kissing your behind to figure out whats wrong...attention of any kind is appealing when you not feeling like OptimusPrime. Now that is straight from the TRUTH.COM....don't front y'all! At the same time I just wanna be Dallas again....cracking jokes, laughing and eating some good viddles! So what is we to do? I need understanding, I need answers, I need comfort and I don't want to talk to anyone. Psalms 119:130 says "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." Sounds simple right....well why do we run to everyone or everything else when the answer is clear? Well, Ive decided not to be just a hearer but a DOER of the word...so I open my devotional bible. Now the first entry starts in Genesis 1:1....my first instinct is THIS IS NOT IT! Though its wonderful that God created the heavens and earth I just really don't want to read about this right now....give me something else! But that salty Holy Ghost swag in me just prompts me to continue on. In other news, get filled with Holy Spirit He (notice "He" and NOT "it") is such a help to you if you allow Him to be.

We all know the story, heard it many times before but this time it was different for me. This is truly an example of how the Word of God is inexhaustible, new revelation every time! I get to chapter two and one familiar verse just POPS out! Genesis 2:9 "And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." So?!? You may ask. Something about that tree of life piece just triggered more study. My first thoughts were "Isn't Jesus Christ the tree of life? Does this mean He was in the garden....I WAS HYPE about that discovery. Hmmm....I needed to know!

I embarked on a search of what the tree of life was and my discovery was a help to me and hopefully to you reading this blog. Here we go...

I proceed to look up every scripture in the bible with the phrase "tree of life" and found thirteen scriptures in both the New and Old Testaments. I started by defining what life really means...so according to my concordance it means alive, to revive and flowing fresh (I'll take some of that!). In the NT the definition is even better life means real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever....YESSSSSSS! I need to feel like this....so this tree of life is something I need.

Now after the fall of man God went so far to drive man as far away from the tree of life as He could....not only that but He protected the tree with a flaming sword and some warring angels (Gen 3). He knew that Adam knew all he had to do was eat of the fruit of the tree of life and he would have EVERLASTING LIFE. The bible goes on to describe this tree as WISDOM (Prov 3:18), RIGHTEOUSNESS (Prov 11:30), FULFILLMENT (Prov 13:12), a WHOLESOME (of sound mind, of profit) TONGUE (Prov 15:4), and a GIFT TO THE OVERCOMER (Rev 2:7). Revelation 22 talks about how this tree will yield 12 fruits each month and the throne of God and the lamb shall be there. This tree has a location and similar characteristics to the tree found in Ezekiel 47 (one of my favorite books in the bible)....this tree was able to provide healing and food. Fruit in the bible usually signifies some sort of spiritual characteristic (i.e. fruit of the Spirit)....so how can I access this tree? The answer is found in the aforementioned scripture Rev 2:7, Jesus says to him that overcometh I WILL give access to the tree of life. So my fulfillment, source of wisdom, and all of that is something I had access to all along? The question was not HOW but is THROUGH WHO?

Through Christ is the way of fulfillment! Duh? Yet sometimes I get so caught up with ME and why I AM feeling this way and my answer has been there calling out to me. Wisdom cries out to me my answers but I am too consumed with self to realize. Only through the word did I find my answer, I didn't need to sit on anyone's couch.....I just needed time with my man Holy Spirit (he is the best man you could ever have!). Isaiah 26:3 You [God] will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.

Ahhhhh I feel so much better!

So you mean to tell me that Eve was deceived with the tree of life sitting right there; not only that but the throne of God was in the tree!!???!!! How stupid was she!?! Well how stupid are we when we are saved, filled with Holy Spirit and we fall? Pretty dumb I would say. No wonder He drove them so far away from the tree.....God's throne can't dwell with sin! Praise God for Jesus, through Him we can find refuge at the foot of the tree seated at the throne of the most high God! His grace is sufficient and his mercy is new every morning...its not too late access that Tree of Life today. Isn't he sooo good! Jesus is the ONLY way and he is just standing there waiting for you! Romans 10:9 will show you the way....don't let the enemy steal your joy!

Now you go get in your Word....what will your revelation be today?

Posted in: This Thing Called Life.