July 13 | Daily Devotion | Living By The Tree Of Life, Not The Tree Of Knowledge Of Good And Evil

Zac PoonenJuly 12, 202411mWatch on YouTube

CFC Daily Devotions - Zac Poonen Excerpt from the message: The Cross And Our Self-Will - Zac Poonen To listen to the complete message click here : https://cfcindia.com/sermon/the-cross-and-our-selfwill Visit our website for more information: https://www.cfcindia.com

Summary

The speaker contrasts living by the 'Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil' (which only distinguishes right from wrong) with living by the 'Tree of Life.' True spiritual growth requires moving beyond merely doing what is lawful or right, and instead, discerning what is truly profitable by seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This means prioritizing the will of God above all other good or permissible activities, much like Jesus prioritizing His mission over worldly opportunities.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

What do the two trees symbolize?The tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life represent two different levels of living: self-dependence versus dependence on God.

Lawful versus profitable in the Christian lifeFirst Corinthians 6:12 shows that while many things are lawful, a spiritual Christian chooses among the things that are profitable.1 Corinthians 6:12

Living on the edge of sinMany young people ask what is wrong with certain things, trying to live as close to the edge of sin as possible, whereas a spiritual person stays far away.

Doing good things without growing spirituallyA born-again believer can spend time doing many good and lawful things without ever growing, simply because they fail to choose the most profitable things.

Old Testament right and wrong versus New Testament guidanceIn the Old Testament, life was cut and dry regarding right and wrong, but the Holy Spirit teaches believers to choose the few profitable things out of many right options.

Moses' prayer in Psalm 90Moses prayed in Psalm 90:12 for God to teach us to number our days to apply our hearts to wisdom and choose the tree of life.Psalm 90:12

How the Tree of Life worksLiving by the tree of life means waiting for the Holy Spirit's prompting to eliminate things that, while not sinful, would cause us to miss God's best.

Jesus' focused use of timeJesus did not sin by refusing good opportunities like traveling to Rome, but He guarded His time to fulfill the specific ministry God gave Him.

The place of rest and recreationRest, vacations, and unwinding are necessary for our physical bodies and mental alertness, and are not contrary to seeking God's glory.

Playing games and building fellowshipPlaying games together can build wonderful fellowship among believers, proving that profitable living is not legalism but being led by the Spirit.

Playing children in the New JerusalemZechariah 8 describes the New Jerusalem where young boys and girls will be playing in the streets, showing a joyful picture of God's kingdom.

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CFC Daily Devotions

July 13 | Daily Devotion | Living By The Tree Of Life, Not The Tree Of Knowledge Of Good And Evil

Zac Poonen · July 12, 2024 · 11m

The Holy Spirit Following Jesus