Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

Adam and Eve had just sinned by eating of the forbidden fruit. God had told them not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil but they disobeyed when they saw that which the Lord had commanded them not to do was desirable.

God had daily fellowship with Adam and Eve and it came time for them to have fellowship with God. However, Adam and Eve realized that they had violated the perfect will of God and rather than run to God and have fellowship with HIM, they chose to flee and try to hide from God the evil that they had committed. Rather than pursue fellowship with God, they compounded their sin by fleeing from God.

When you sin and fall short of the glory of God, your conscience will let you know that you have done wrong. If you have a healthy conscience, your worldly response to your conscience will be to abstain from anything holy. Even if you have a heart after God, you probably would rather mourn your violation of the will of God then to draw closer to HIM.

When we sin, drawing closer to God seems like the wrong thing to do. We have just sinned and surely God must be really angry with us. If we stay away from God, God’s temper will settle down, and then in due season, we can come back to God and mend our relationship with HIM. Why rush back to God right after we have sinned?

We understand that David had a heart after the heart of God. When David sinned with Bath-sheba, his initial response was to set up Uriah so that he would think that the child was his. However, when that failed, David had Uriah killed and he married Bath-sheba himself. God was not pleased with David and he sent Nathan to confront David and his sin. Upon being confronted of his sin – David immediately repented and humbled himself before God.

While David’s initial response was no different than Adam and Eve’s response, we can learn a lot from David’s response to Nathan. David is known for having a heart after the heart of God because of his repentance when confronted of his sin. This is the attitude that God desires us to have. God does not want us running from HIM when we have violated HIS perfect law. Instead, when we sin, we should run to God and repent of our sins and draw closer to HIM so that we might be strengthen so as not to do the same thing again.

When we diligently add temperance to our lives, we set up standards in our lives that we prevent ourselves from digging ourselves into even deeper problems when we sin. The Bible teaches us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. By exercising temperance, we can stop the destructive cycle of avoiding that which is spiritual when we are in a weak spiritual state of mind.

Adam and Eve did that which was natural by avoiding the presence of God. However, no matter how hard they tried, they could not escape the presence of the All Knowing God. God was not pleased with their sin but he was even less pleased by their attempt to run and hide. Adam and Eve had destroyed their perfect environment and their perfect relationship with God because of their sin. Their sin cost them more than they ever imagined.

Proverbs 25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

What is your response when you are reproved? Do you change your ways, or do you continue to do what seems right in your own eyes.

Look at the life of King Saul and King David. Both men sinned. However, when God sent a prophet to confront the two men, their responses were completely different. Some would say that the sin of Saul was not nearly as bad as the sin of David; in fact, some people today would even justify the sin of Saul. Nonetheless, sin is sin, and the response of Saul when confronted is just one of the reasons God did not allow Jonathan to take the throne.

Saul was commanded by God to go to war and to destroy the Amalekites and everything that they owned. Saul obeyed, but not completely. Saul spared the king of the Amalekites and he spared the best of the flocks. When Samuel came and confronted Saul, Saul made excuses and stated that they were saving the animals for sacrifices to the Lord.

David made a decision to not go out to war as the other kings did at that time. David chose to do that which was right in his own eyes and he committed adultery with Bath-sheba and then killed her husband Uriah. When Nathan confronted David, David responded by immediately repenting to God. David understood that he had sinned against God and he desired to maintain a clear conscience before God.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The important thing is, how will you respond when you are reproved?

However, in this passage, it is not the individual who is reproved who is compared to an earring of God, it is the reprover. Both Samuel and Nathan were used by God to reprove kings for their transgressions. Nathan would have been considered a wise reprover because of how he approached David when he confronted him of his sins. Nathan approached David with a story that caused David to see the iniquity that he had committed.

There will come a time in your life where God will desire that you confront someone for their sin, how will you approach them. Will you be like Samuel and simply confront them straight on and make them immediately go on the defensive and try to justify their actions? Or will you be like Nathan who was a wise reprover?

It takes great wisdom to think outside the box and to confront the sins of others in a way that they will want to repent. It is easy just to come straight out and confront someone who you know has done great evil and try to bully them into repentance. It is not your job to convict someone of their sins – that is the responsibility of God. However, it may be your duty to confront someone in a wise manner so that God can work on their hearts and return them to the fold.

You will never be a wise reprover until you have a very close relationship with God. It is God who will give you the wisdom in how to approach your child, a friend, or an acquaintance so that your reproofs will go upon obedient ears. This means that you need to spend time adding knowledge of the ways of God so that you understand exactly how God desires you to approach others. It is God that will give you the wisdom so that you are a valuable tool in HIS sight.

Proverbs 6:17 and hands that shed innocent blood,

In this passage, we see a list of seven abominations unto the Lord. The third item in the list of abominations is murder. It is an abomination unto the Lord for man to kill another man. Scripture tells us that God made us in his own image. When mankind kills another, he is rejecting God. Not only is the murderer rejecting God, but they are also proclaiming that they know better then God who should live and who should not.

When Cain killed his brother Abel, God came and judged Cain for his actions. Cain recognized that the judgment of the Lord was too great and he cried out for mercy. God did show Cain some mercy, but it does not mean that Cain escaped the judgment. While Cain may not have been immediately killed, the curse of Cain was that Cain would be a vagabond and that the land would no longer yield forth its strength unto Cain.

David was a man after the heart of God, yet after David realized that his sin with Bath-sheba resulted in a child, David had Uriah killed. God sent Nathan to David to pronounce judgment upon David. Nathan told David a story about a man with sheep and David stated that the man who took the sheep when he had so much should pay four times. David pronounced his own judgment and four of his sons were killed. David had committed an abomination unto the Lord and while the Lord showed mercy to David, David still had to experience the judgment of God.

The killing of innocent blood is an abomination unto the Lord. Every day throughout the world, many people lose their life because someone makes a decision that they are not worthy to live. Who made the murderer God that they are allowed to choose who lives and who dies.

Every day women choose to kill their own babies via the process of abortion. These babies are human life made in the image of God, yet for the sake of choice, the mother decides whether or not the child will live. In Leviticus 18:21 God tells the people that thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, either shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. The word seed in this passage not only means children that are living right now, but also future children who are not yet born.

It is important to understand that it is God who creates life and that this little human life is made in the image of God. It is an abomination unto the Lord to take innocent life and life is not any more innocent than the unborn child who has not yet sinned.

You may argue that since you are not a murderer that this passage has very little importance to your life. However, you must remember the words of Jesus where he likened a man who is angry at his brother with a murderer. Remember that it was anger at God for not accepting his sacrifice that eventually drove Cain to murder his own brother. Anger is a dangerous thing that you must make sure that you control.

As a child of God, you have a responsibility to understand what the will of God is for your life. This means that you must take the time to study the scriptures and obtain the knowledge of God. Learning what God likes and does not like should be a daily part of your life so that your life can be pleasing to God.

Psalms 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth forever. Praise ye the Lord.

The truth of God endures forever. Think about it, how many false gods have come and gone over the centuries? However, the worship of the one true God has endured. God’s truth endures because HE is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Praise the Lord for HE is true. You may lie, cheat, and steel, but God cannot lie. God told Adam not to eat of the fruit from the tree of good and evil. Adam and Eve ate of the fruit and God’s truth required that the punishment of their sin be death. We can praise the Lord that HE does not allow us to get away with sin.

Praise the Lord for his mercies. We deserve greater punishment for our sins than God has brought upon our lives. When Cain killed his brother Able, he deserved death. However, God spared his life. You too have committed great wickedness in the sight of God and as a result, you do not deserve to be where you are at today. It is God’s mercies that enable you to continue to live and serve HIM.

When David sinned with Bath-sheba, God’s truth could not allow David to get away with his sin. God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David. Nathan did not see David’s sin, but what David committed in secret, God revealed to the world. David committed adultery and murder and thus he deserved to die. Nonetheless, God saw fit to forgive David and continued to direct, protect, and provide for David. God’s truth required that David suffer some punishment, but it was God’s mercy that enabled David to live.

Praise the Lord for HIS mercies and HIS truth. Praise the Lord that HE has not allowed you to get away with sin but praise HIM that HE has not punished you as you deserve. You know all the wickedness that you have committed, and you know the punishment that you deserve. Paul recognized that he was chief among sinners, yet Paul gloried in God’s mercy. Paul did not allow his past sins to prevent him from continuing to serve God. Paul was diligent to serve God and allow his past to be forgiven.

Are you hanging on to tightly to your sinful past? Are you allowing the fact that you have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God to prevent you from following God’s direction? Satan loves to remind you of your wicked past and cause you to contemplate all the evil things that you have done. God is willing to forgive you and to continue to use you regardless of your past sins. You will have to face the consequences for your willful disobedience, but that does not mean that God cannot still use you. It is God’s mercy that allows you to continue to serve HIM regardless of what you have done. It is God’s mercy that covers your sins.

When you violate God’s perfect law, Satan will attempt to keep your focus upon your sins. However, if you take the time to fill your life with virtue, your mind will be filled with the things of God. You will not have the capacity to allow yourself to think upon the evil that you did. Instead, as you continue to fill your mind with the truth of God’s word, your love for God will grow and you will hear HIS still small voice as HE guides you in the way you are to go. Praise the Lord for HIS truth and HIS mercy.

I Timothy 3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

In order to be even qualified to be a deacon, the steps that are required ensure that the individual must have great boldness in the faith. Paul laid out so many qualifications that if one is truly qualified, the church should not have to wonder if this individual would lead them astray. Paul is basically saying that if a person met all of God’s qualifications, then he could predict with certainty the fruit that will be evident in this person’s life.

The world will know you by your fruit. Your life should be clear and convincing evidence before man that God is number one in your life. If you desire to lead others to draw closer to God, there should be evidence in your life of a boldness that you have in sharing with others the power of the living God in your life. If you do not have a natural boldness in sharing your faith with others, what makes you believe that you are qualified to assist others in drawing closer to God?

God does not have you living on this earth to see how much money you can make and spend upon yourself. God does not have you living on this earth to see how much fame and prestige you can obtain. One of the biggest purposes of your life is to draw glory to God, to cause the world to see that God is living and that they are accountable to HIM for every thought, action, and deed.

God desires that you live your life for HIM. HE has commanded you to let the light of your life shine and that you are not to hide it. If you do not have a boldness of preaching the gospel of Christ, then what business do you have in teaching others to do the will of God? If you want to be a leader, then you first must be a follower of Christ and must first demonstrate to God that you are a faithful soldier who has a track record of fulfilling the commands of Christ.

One indication that you have the boldness in the faith is that you do not fear man. Your life should be a beautiful illustration to others of an individual who fears God and is not afraid to tell others how they are failing to live up to God’s perfect standards. There is too much political correctness going on in the church today. Believers are not holding themselves accountable let alone holding their fellowman accountable. Sin is sin, and if you see a brother in sin, rather then beating around the bush, you should have the boldness to approach that believer and tell them were they are falling short. Samuel demonstrated great boldness in telling king Saul that his actions did not please the Lord, and Nathan sure did not beat around the bush when he confronted David about his sins of murder and adultery.

There are many qualifications for you to be a leader, and if you have met all those qualifications, then it will be evident in your life a boldness of faith. Until you have that boldness to put God first in your life and not fear what man will think or do to you, then you are not ready to lead others in the local church. Your daily walk with the Lord should be evident to all and should cause others to see and desire to follow your example. You cannot afford to hide your faith from the world. Your faith is what draws the world’s attention to the fact that there is a living God who they are accountable to today.