A Bad Plan

A Bad Plan

READ: GENESIS 3:1-11; 1 JOHN 1:9–2:2 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=GENESIS%203%3A1-11%3B%201%20JOHN%201%3A9%E2%80%932%3A2&version=CSB] “Well, that was a bad decision.” “I can’t believe we did that.” “So, now what? You know He’ll find out.” “Hmmm. I have an idea. See all those bushes and trees over there? Let’s hide.” “Good plan.” Perhaps this is how the conversation went between Adam and Eve. Genesis 3 doesn’t tell us their exact dialogue, but in their story, we witness one of the worst strategies ever created. After eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve felt ashamed and guilty, a common response to wrongdoing. Then, they decided to hide from God. True story. These two humans were trying to hide from the all-knowing Creator of the universe. Gently and clearly, God drew them out from their hiding places, clothed them, and barred them from the Garden of Eden. It was a humbling moment for Adam and Eve. As much as we might want to mock them, isn’t our natural response to hide when we do wrong? It’s embarrassing to admit the truth of our sin. Wouldn’t we all rather hide until it all blows over? But God has other plans, and He has gone to great lengths to make it possible for us to receive mercy and grace. How far? God the Father sent His very own Son as a payment for our sins. While we have committed sin in the darkness and hidden afterwards, Jesus Christ was willing to die during the middle of the day, in front of witnesses, so all could see His sacrifice. And then, three days later He rose again. Our sin is not the end of the story. We’re not meant to live in the dark shadows of shame. We all sin, every day, but Christ’s death pays the price for our sin, allowing us to live unashamed in the light. • Mike Hurley • How was God merciful in His response to Adam and Eve’s sin? • What should our response be when we sin? Why are we free to go to Jesus after we’ve messed up? (Hebrews 4:14-16) My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2 (CSB)

Bringers of Good News

READ: ISAIAH 52:7-10; JOHN 3:16-17; ROMANS 10:5-15 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ISAIAH%2052%3A7-10%3B%20JOHN%203%3A16-17%3B%20ROMANS%2010%3A5-15&version=NLT] In the United Arab Emirates, immigrants are not allowed to proselytize (attempt to convert) anyone from the local population. This makes it hard to share the good news that Jesus loves us so much that He died and rose again to make the way for us to be with Him forever. But that did not stop my parents. My parents were Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Dubai. They are also Christians. They understood the limits that the local laws put on sharing the gospel with others. Thus, they decided to focus on sharing Jesus with a group of people that they felt they could reach out to better: OFW homeschooling parents like them. After connecting with a local church in Dubai, my mom began looking for a homeschool co-op to meet new people outside of church. She discovered that no co-op existed in our area, but she recognized a need for one. That was how the Discovery Gardens Homeschool Co-op was founded. It was composed mostly of Filipino expat families who were not Christians. With one other Christian family, we taught every child who attended about the truth of who Jesus is. That planted seeds in their hearts, and God made those seeds grow. The results were outstanding. Three of the families we taught in that one month eventually put their trust in Jesus Christ. That same year, I witnessed one of my friends be baptized in the Persian Gulf. During our time in Dubai, I learned something very important. I learned to make the most of the time God gives me (Ephesians 5:16). I never knew when it would end. We stayed in Dubai for only two years. For us to see such an impact in our short time there, I just know it’s one of the many proofs that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37). • John Caleb M. Talusan • Jesus loves us so much that He died and rose again to make the way for us to be with Him forever. And He wants all people to come to Him (1 Timothy 2:4)! As Christians, He has invited us to do His kingdom work with Him. And a huge part of that work is telling others the good news, relying on the Holy Spirit’s power and wisdom. What an amazing honor! Consider spending some time in prayer, thanking Jesus for His death and resurrection and asking Him who He may be inviting you to share the gospel with. (For more about the gospel, check out our "Know Jesus" page.) • Can you remember a time when somebody shared the gospel with you? What was that like? For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. Romans 1:16 (NLT)

Even Better

READ: JOHN 14:15-31; 15:26; 16:5-15 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=JOHN%2014%3A15-31%3B%2015%3A26%3B%2016%3A5-15&version=NLT] What could be better than God with skin on, walking the planet, in the person of Jesus Christ? On the night before Jesus went to the cross, He told us. Jesus knew that He was going to die, be raised from the dead three days later, and after a short while, ascend into heaven. But first, He told His disciples, “When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you…It is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you” (John 14:26; 16:7). So what’s even better than Jesus in the flesh, walking around on our planet? God, inside of us, His believers. Jesus is fully human, and He is God with us (Matthew 1:23). The Holy Spirit is God in us (John 14:17). Today, through the Holy Spirit, we can know God personally. While we wait for Jesus to return and restore creation, His body is us. He is the head, and we—His church—are all members of His body (1 Corinthians 12). As the body of Christ, we are meant to follow our head and do the work He calls us to do. So where does the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, come in? The Greek word translated as Advocate in John 14–16 is Paraclete, which can also be translated as Comforter, Helper, or Counselor. God knew that we couldn’t follow Him on our own. Until Jesus’s return, we would continue to mess up, and we’d need the Holy Spirit’s kind correction. He knew that we would need Him as our Helper, our Counselor, our Advocate, and our Comforter too. We would need God Himself, living within us. God the Father not only sent His own Son to come in the flesh to die and rise again to make the way for us to know God, but then He also sent His own Spirit to all who believe in Jesus. He is with us for the entire journey! What a wonderful God! • Kristen Merrill • If you’ve put your trust in Jesus, then you have His Spirit indwelling you! What questions do you have about the Holy Spirit? The Bible is full of verses that mention the Spirit. Who are trusted Christians in your life who can help you dig into Scripture and find out more? [Jesus said,] “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.” John 16:7 (NLT)

Loving a Cheater

READ: HOSEA 1:1-11; 3:1-4; EPHESIANS 5:25-27 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=HOSEA%201%3A1-11%3B%203%3A1-4%3B%20EPHESIANS%205%3A25-27&version=NLT] How much does God love you? The answer is: a lot! But sometimes “a lot” can be hard to picture. To show us how faithful His love is, God gave us an analogy in the Old Testament: the story of Hosea and Gomer. Hosea was a prophet, and God told him to marry a woman named Gomer. But Gomer was unfaithful and left him, causing Hosea deep hurt. When Gomer cheated on Hosea, God explained that the hurt she caused was similar to the hurt God feels when we sin. Both the Israelite people and we as humans today have cheated on God with idols—things, ideas, and even people we worship instead of our good Creator. Throughout the book of Hosea, God spelled out His anger and hurt toward His cheating people. But then the book takes a surprising turn. God told Hosea to take back his cheating wife and love her like God loves the Israelites. Gomer had become enslaved to her lovers, so Hosea had to buy back his own wife and bring her home again. This parallels the story of Christ, who bought us at the much higher cost of His own blood on the cross. Jesus loved us so much that He took on one of the most painful deaths the Roman Empire could offer. Not only did He die to pay the price for our sin, but He also overcame death through His resurrection—He made the way to free us from our slavery to sin and ensure that we could be with Him forever. Even though we have all cheated on God with our sin—and we continue to sin every day—He still loves us. More than a husband could ever love his wife. • Naomi Zylstra • God loved us while we were enamored with the sin that enslaved us. As Christians, why is it important to remember that God continues to love us even when we are still enamored with sin? (If you want to dig deeper, read Romans 5:8; 8:38-39; 1 John 4:10, 19; Ephesians 2:1-10) • If you want to know more about what it means to be rescued and forgiven by Jesus, see our "Know Jesus [https://unlocked.org/knowjesus/]" page. • As Christians, we know that our sin is just as bad as anyone else’s. How should God’s love for us motivate us to treat others? (1 John 4:11) Remember, if someone has hurt you deeply, loving and forgiving them doesn’t necessarily mean trusting them again—it might look like setting up healthy boundaries. Who are trusted Christian adults in your life you could talk to about this? The LORD says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever.” Hosea 14:4 (NLT)

Not Finished Yet

READ: ROMANS 7:15–8:6; GALATIANS 5:13-25 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ROMANS%207%3A15%E2%80%938%3A6%3B%20GALATIANS%205%3A13-25&version=NIV] Lying on my dorm room floor, I wiped tears from my eyes. Why did I keep doing things I knew grieved the heart of God? Perhaps it was growing up in a strict home? The countless rules just fueled my desire to live a little outside the lines. For me, that looked like a struggle to honor God in my romantic relationships. While I didn’t go “all the way” with guys, stepping over the line with them offered the thrill I craved. Afterward though, I felt worse. The Holy Spirit was gently prompting me to flee sin and run into the arms of Jesus instead. Time after time this happened, and I wrestled and prayed. I felt like I was finally grasping what Paul said in Romans 7:15-24. I was doing what I didn’t want to do, and I kept on doing it. I really felt like I was a prisoner to these desires—they were battling within me against the Holy Spirit’s leading. God, I prayed, just let me get caught or in trouble or something! I want this to stop, but I feel so powerless! Turns out, I didn’t get caught or in trouble. Instead, it was the love, grace, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ that eventually drew me back. I was attempting to fill my cravings for ultimate meaning with something other than Him… and that never satisfies. The truth is, when I trusted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, He gave me freedom from sin’s power. Even though I will wrestle with my old sinful nature until I see Jesus face to face, I have His power living inside me. And by His power, I can reject sin—knowing that, in Christ, I am dead to sin. I can be led by the Spirit as I rest in Jesus’s love and set my mind on His good desires for me (Romans 8:5; Galatians 5:16-18). Now, when Satan throws my failures back in my face, I know I can block his attacks with the truth of God’s Word. When Satan whispers, “What kind of a follower of God are you? How can you expect to reach others with God’s love when you’re trapped in your own sin?” I can shout back: “God has forgiven me—and He’s not finished with me yet! He began a good work in me, and He will continue it until the day Jesus comes again!” (Philippians 1:6). • Savannah Coleman • Can you think of a time you felt like today’s author, or like Paul in Romans 7? What sin struggles do you feel powerless over? (Remember, Romans 7 applies to all sorts of sins—and we all struggle with sin every single day.) • You are not alone in this battle! If you know Jesus, you are a child of God, and you are empowered by the Holy Spirit to reject sin (1 Corinthians 10:13). Our sins and struggles may be great, but God is greater—and He gives us the deliverance we need through Jesus Christ (Romans 7:25). Can you think of a time you resisted temptation and did not sin? What was that like? • God loves us so much that Jesus died and rose again to free us from sin and death. As we rely on Him, we can resist temptation. And whenever we fail, Jesus always wants us to run to Him—to receive His inexhaustible forgiveness and unending love (Luke 15:11-32; 1 John 1:9–2:1). Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about whatever you’ve been struggling with. • God created romantic love and sex as good gifts to be shared and enjoyed by a husband and wife within marriage. What questions do you have about marriage, sexuality, sin, repentance, etc.? Who are trusted Christian adults in your life you feel comfortable talking to about this? (If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to help you identify someone in the future.) Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NIV)