WHAT WAS ADAM’S “APPLE”?

This is a tough blog post. I did not like what the Holy Spirit had to say to me as I wrote it, so if you are not wanting all of God and all of his blessing and a real relationship with him, then please don’t read any further. You will just become defensive and heap more consequences on yourself.

What do I mean by Adam’s apple?

We all have our “apples”, things in our life that we cling to in order to establish, “who is the real boss of my life?”  We know Eve’s apple was that she wanted to “be like god” and decide for herself what was right and wrong and not be told what she couldn’t do or couldn’t have or have to consult God or, horrors, her husband.

But our goose wasn’t cooked until Adam also ate from the tree. If he had refused, God could have used him as a perfect man to redeem his wife and this earth.

So why did he eat? Did he also resent not being the judge of what was right and wrong? Well, he must have or he would have waited till evening and asked God whether it was OK or not to do what his wife asked. I think his “apple” was worrying what his wife would feel and think if he said, “No I won’t just follow your lead, I’m going to find out from God if you have done wrong or if I may join with you,” Eve might have been angry. Ever since then, men have erred in three ways. “Yes dear, I’ll do whatever you want.” or “Stupid bitch, back off or I’ll hit you!” or “What wife? I don’t have time for any wife, I’m busy here.” To provide godly limits and leadership just doesn’t happen without God’s intervention.

What’s your “apple?”

Our daughters decided that if they had to wear dresses that, this was such an evil thing, it justified plotting our deaths by burning down the house, (Thank God they never figured out how). Our making them wear dresses justified finding boyfriends on the side, and stealing our car leaving the family abandoned far away from home so they could run off with the boyfriend. It justified taking and taking and taking our help and finances and time without a scrap of gratitude. It justified a life of excitement seeking, etc. etc. All because we were so evil as to ask them to dress modestly. This led to severe trauma in their lives which led to another “apple” of being too proud to ask forgiveness and find healing and the need to excuse their ingratitude and rebellion by inventing stories of our horrible deeds to excuse their choices. I think that most people in Hell will feel that God has been horribly unfair.

My wife gave them a tool by which to fight the ancient curse of the “Adam’s apple”. She said,

“ask the following question, “Is my authority asking me to do something that is wrong?” If so,  refer to the appeal that Daniel used. Purpose in your heart to humbly disobey with a good attitude. If not being asked to sin, then, as an act of worship to the God that has placed that authority in your life, go ahead and co-operate–with enthusiasm.”

I struggle with the co-dependant  “apple” of being willing to do anything for God except setting limits on others that would make them mad at me.

What’s your “Lord I’ll do anything but that, I’ll go anywhere except” apple? We all have bad genes from Adam and Eve and want to see ourselves as basically wanting to follow God,  except in this ONE LITTLE THING.

The opposite of being blocked by an apple is not me running around and trying to be strong enough to let go of or face the “apple”. It is saying , “I can’t. You can. So here goes!” and moving my body parts, scared out of my wits, to obey.

It is good to remember that BOTH God and the devil want to bring about the “apple” in your life. God wants it because he wants to be God and if ANYTHING is bigger than he is then, that is your god. The devil wants it to happen because you have promised to mess up if he brings it about.

It might not be that big a deal until you turn it into an “apple”. But then it becomes the ONLY deal!

I know someone who refused to go to the front of the church to ask God to forgive him of his sins and to accept the finished work of Jesus as full payment. He wanted to be saved but was too proud to admit his need in front of others. He pointed out that “one may be saved in the woods, at home, in the car, etc.” That was true before he said, I’ll get saved anywhere else, then it had become a point of pride blocking him from salvation. God will wait for him at the altar in front of the church till he lets go of the apple.

There is no use in doing tons of “good works for God in order to con him into looking the other way in “this one little area.”

With the rich young ruler, it was his possessions, with Demas it was the love of the world, with Annanias and Saphira it was wanting to look as committed as the rest without being as committed as the rest. Other “apples” are getting rid of pain, protecting my reputation, keeping jobs,  avoiding ridicule, relationships, enjoying excitement, using substances, getting education, family, hobbies, sports, entertainment, internet. You get the idea.

We call him LORD because it sounds nice, but he isn’t lord of anything till he is lord of everything.

“DEAR LORD PLEASE SHOW ME MY “APPLES” AND HELP ME TEAR DOWN ALL THE FALSE GODS OF MY LIFE AND LET YOU BE MY KING.