BROADCASTS.com

Relationships aren\u2019t designed to fulfill us; Relationships are designed to refine us.

Then God said, \u201cLet us\xa0make mankind\xa0in our image,\xa0in our likeness\u2026 So God created\xa0mankind\xa0in his own image, in the image of God\xa0he created them; male and female\xa0he created them. 28\xa0God blessed them and said to them,\xa0\u201cBe fruitful and increase in number;\xa0fill the earth\xa0and subdue it...\u201d Genesis 1:26-28 (NIV)

The\xa0Lord\xa0God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden\xa0to work it and take care of it.\xa0And the\xa0Lord\xa0God commanded the man, \u201cYou are free to eat from any tree in the garden;\xa0but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,\xa0for when you eat from it you will certainly die.\u201d The\xa0Lord\xa0God said, \u201cIt is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.\u201d \u2026So the\xa0Lord\xa0God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;\xa0and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man\u2019s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.\xa0Then the\xa0Lord\xa0God made a woman from the rib\xa0he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, \u201cThis is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called\xa0\u2018woman,\u2019 for she was taken out of man.\u201d That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united\xa0to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked,\xa0and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:15-25 (NIV)

Now the serpent\xa0was more crafty than any of the wild animals the\xa0Lord\xa0God had made. He said to the woman, \u201cDid God really say, \u2018You must not eat from any tree in the garden\u2019?\u201d The woman said to the serpent, \u201cWe may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, \u2018You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.\u2019\u201d \u201cYou will not certainly die,\u201d the serpent said to the woman.\xa0\u201cFor God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,\xa0knowing good and evil.\u201d When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable\xa0for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband,\xa0who was with her, and he ate it.\xa0Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;\xa0so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the\xa0Lord\xa0God as he was walking\xa0in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid\xa0from the\xa0Lord\xa0God among the trees of the garden.\xa0But the\xa0Lord\xa0God called to the man, \u201cWhere are you?\u201d He answered, \u201cI heard you in the garden, and I was afraid\xa0because I was naked; so I hid.\u201d And he said, \u201cWho told you that you were naked?\xa0Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?\u201d The man said, \u201cThe woman you put here with me\u2014she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.\u201d Then the\xa0Lord\xa0God said to the woman, \u201cWhat is this you have done?\u201d The woman said, \u201cThe serpent deceived me,\xa0and I ate.\u201d Genesis 3:1-13 (NIV)

Do not be deceived:\xa0God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh,\xa0from the flesh will reap destruction;\xa0whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.\xa0Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)

\u201cWhere there is anger there is resistance; where there is resistance there is room to grow.\u201d - Allison Fallon