Faith on the Go: The Games We Play with God: Unlocking the Cost of Disobedience

0:01 Welcome, beautiful people, and welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman Podcast. A woman podcast, it's only just me. I'm your host, Connie Morris, and I'm so excited to kick out this new series, The Games We Play With God. In this series, we'll explore the ways we play games with God through disobedience, pride, impatience, and more, and the spiritual consequences that come from it. But don't worry, we'll also dive into the hope and redemption that God offers us when we turn back to Him. Today we're starting with game number one, the cost of disobedience.

0:41 Our focus will be on the story of Adam and Eve, the very first instance of disobedience, and how it continued to resonate in our lives today. I'm going to go to Genesis chapter 3. I'm going to read verses 1 through 7 from the NLT translation. And I just want you to listen to what was going on with this conversation in the garden regarding the disobedience of Adam and Eve before we go into some key insights on how to not play games with God. The serpent was the shortest of all the animals the Lord God had made.

1:26 One day he asked the woman, Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden? Of course, we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, the women replied. It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. That's that fear of missing out, right? So questioning God and then that little doubt about it's only that one we can't have. God said we must not eat or even touch it. If you do, you will die. So adding more story to it. You won't die, the serpent replied to the woman.

2:07 God knows that your eyes will be open as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil. We see here that she's trusting what the word of the devil more than the word of what God says. Did God say that? The woman was convinced. She saw the tree was beautiful, and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it too. And at that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame in their nakedness.

2:50 So they sold fig leaves together to cover themselves. We can go through that. That'll take us a whole episode, but we're going to move along. We see here that Eve responds to the serpent started with doubt. The enemy didn't come with a blatant lie. He came with a question designed to make her second guess God. And we in our own lives can really go back. We can do that probably just tomorrow, just yesterday, when God asks you to do something and then you begin to doubt. You doubt it. I want you to give your whole tithe, And you go like, ooh, I won't have enough to do this. And then you start to doubt. You start to doubt.

3:40 Or he tells you to do something and you don't write it down. And then you don't write it down immediately. And then you go back and you kind of ad-lib it. And it's not the whole truth, right? So the enemy doesn't come with a blatant lie. He comes with kind of a lie, like a made-up lie. He didn't tell you. Did he really tell you that? Did he really tell you that? He began, he came with a question designed to make her second guess God's word. So I remember God's word going to come. Second thing is, did he really say that? The doubt led to disobedience. Eve followed by Adam ate the fruit God explicitly told them not to eat.

4:28 This wasn't just a tiny mistake. It was a choice to go against God's explicit instructions, and the consequences were monumental, separation from God, pain, toil, and the introduction of sin into the world. You know, I just want to just kind of look at this again, because Satan doesn't have any new tricks, so we have to think about this. So we know from the beginning of the verse, it says that he was a shrewd as animals. So we know the shrewdest meaning he even watching what really entertained Eve. And this is just my thinking.

5:10 So Eve probably spent a lot of time watching that tree. Just like we spent a lot of time women, you know, shopping online, looking at stuff we can't afford. Right. And then they say free credit card. I'm just saying. And you get that credit card and you get that item. It's not exciting as you thought it would be, but you got that big old bill. But did God really say you needed that new pair of shoes or boots? You know, or he said, if you wait, I will get it for you. Did God really say that? And then the woman was very pacific. He said, no, he didn't say it. He just said, don't touch, don't even touch it. So God, we're not supposed to add to his word.

5:50 And that made it seem like God was leaving something out. God just said, don't eat from that tree. If you're not going to eat from that tree, you're definitely not going to touch it, right? But that one tree out of probably all the trees in the garden, Eve was kind of focused on. You ever been so focused on something that you're like, I want that. Why? Because you can't have it. You want that. And then the idea says you won't die. Or I will die. If you touch it, you will die. Okay. And you know how women, we drama, we're going to die. So when Eve touched that tree, she didn't die right away, did she? Then she bit it. She didn't die right away. And then she gave it to her husband, and he ate of it too.

6:37 And then at that moment, they both knew they were naked. And so the games we play with God, you can list that out. What kind of games do we play with God when it comes to being disobedient to his word? Disobedience always starts with a seed of doubt about God's word. When we entertain that doubt, we open the door to actions that take us away from his will. The spiritual cost of disobedience. Disobedience is costly, and Adam and Eve's story shows us why. Number one is separation from God. After sin, Adam and Eve hid from God's presence.

7:21 Genesis 3 verses 8 through 10. Disobedience creates a gap between us and God. But here's the good news. He always seeks to restore us when we turn back to him. So right away, the cost of disobedience is a separation from God. Adam knew Eve didn't know but I'm quite sure they talked about it but Eve Adam was right there Adam could have just flapped that apple or that fruit right out of Eve's hand matter of fact take that snake and toss him across the ground too and that story would have ended differently right so it wasn't just Adam doubting Eve doubting it was Adam doubting that curiosity we hear kills the cat.

8:10 But we also know that curiosity equals that disobedience equals that separation from God's presence. And so then they felt they were naked. What was the consequences? Eve was told that she would experience pain in childbirth. And Adam was told he would toil for his substance. So we know that, and that's found in Genesis 3, 16 to 17. Disobedience often Brings struggles When we could have avoided If we have trusted God, Number three, a broken world. Their disobedience introduced sin into the world, affecting not just them, but all of humanity.

8:52 Our choices don't just impact us. They can ripple through our families and communities. So let's bring this home. How does the ancient story apply to our lives today? Have you ever ignored an explicit instruction from God because you thought you knew better? Maybe it's just staying in a relationship God told you to leave or take a shortcut you knew wasn't right. These decisions often lead to heartache, stress, separation from the peace that God wants us to have. Isaiah 119-20 says this, If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land. But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.

9:41 God's blessing comes with obedience, but rebellion leads to unnecessary struggle. So how do you overcome disobedience? How do you stop playing this game of disobedience? Number one, know God's word. Eve's downfall began with a misunderstanding of what God said. Spend time in scripture so you can recognize and stand on his truth. Psalms 119.05 says, your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. And so we see here that knowing God's word, trusting in his word.

10:21 And if you're in doubt, don't move. Don't move until you say, wait, I'm going to wait for the Lord. I thought he said this, but I'm going to wait until I actually confirm that this is really him. So that means you are really seeking him to know if that was him or not. And you would know right away, I don't think that didn't feel right. That wasn't God. He's not going to lead you wrong. Trust God completely. Disobedience often stems from not fully trusting God's plan. Remind yourself of his faithfulness. Proverbs 3, 5 reads, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. When it says trust God completely, what did Eve do?

11:04 Eve had that little bit of doubt. When you have that little bit of feces in your Kool-Aid, that's enough to lead you down the wrong trail. So you wait until you get to truth. He's, ah, this doesn't feel right. I'm not going to go. I'm just going to wait. It doesn't cost you nothing to wait. It doesn't cost you nothing to wait. And Eve would have just paused and asked Adam, said, Adam, what do you think? He could have said, well, you know, let's not do it. And then that would have been the end of a different story, right? You know, just that pause. If you don't know for sure, disobedience is when you're just going to do it anyway, right?

11:48 So Eve already was going to do it because he didn't. I'm just saying it could all end it differently. But if you want to not have this playing games with God and walk in disobedience, you can walk in obedience just by pausing and asking. Just take a pause. is this you? Or if he tells you to do something and it's like he says, I want you to give this amount and you go like, oh my God, that's a lot. Do it anyway. Because they ain't going to have you give money, right? He ain't going to say give that amount to you. No, he's going to have you keep it because he's going to make you afraid that if you give it, you're not going to have enough. So you have to know God's voice, but you want to fight that disobedience.

12:31 And the last one is Repent and return. If you haven't been disobedient, if you have been disobedient, it's never too late to turn back to God. He's always ready to forgive. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So we know that if we know God's word, when in doubt, wait it out. Trust God completely. Just trust him, don't lean to your own understanding, and repent in return. If you slip or make a mistake, repent immediately and get it right with God.

13:13 So let's declare some truths over our lives. I declare, I decree, I'm sorry, I decree that I trust God's word and reject every doubt and lie from the enemy. I decree that I will walk in obedience, knowing that God's plans are good for my good. And I decree that when I stumble, I will repent quickly and return to God's grace. Wow. This week, I want you to take time and reflect in areas where you might be playing the game of disobedience. Ask yourself, where have I ignored God's instructions?

13:56 What steps can I do to realign with his will? Write down one step of obedience you'll commit to this week, whether it's spending time in prayer, addressing a habit, or following through on something God has been calling you to do. He's bugging you to do it, but you haven't done it. That's disobedience. If he asked you to do it and you haven't done it, that's disobedience. So let's close out in prayer. Father God, in the name of Jesus, I thank you for your word that guides us and protects us. Forgive us for the times we've chosen disobedience over trust.

14:38 Help us to stand firm in our promises and walk in obedience. Knowing that your plans are always for our good. Give us the strength to follow you. hold heartily. Amen. So thank you for joining me on this first episode of the Games We Play With God series. If this message resonated with you, share it with someone who might need this. And I look forward to seeing you on our next episode. Thank you so much. Bye-bye.