Living From The Tree Of Life
Steve Sampson

We have two choices.  We can live from the tree of life perspective or from the perspective of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.  In the garden, God gave specific command:

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
(Gen 2:16-17 NKJ)

When Adam and Eve sinned by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened
and they lost their innocence, becoming embittered with the problem.  But if we choose to live from the tree of life,
we leave the judgment and consequences up to God.

When Paul and Silas were in prison for casting a demon out of a woman in Acts 16, they could have eaten from the
tree of knowledge of good and evil and become full of hatred, complaining, and bitterness.  They would have
become victims, blaming everyone else.  But instead, they chose to live from the tree of life, beginning at midnight
to sing praises to God!  God delivered them from the prison and the jailer was won to the Lord.

When the Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus who was caught in the act of adultery, both the Pharisees and
Jesus had the same goal.  They wanted her to stop sinning.  But the religious Pharisees chose to stone her
according to her actions with the guilt of the law.  Jesus also wanted her to stop sinning, but He offered her the tree
of life and offered her forgiveness.  Someone said, “Jesus didn’t go around making bad people good.  He went
around making dead people live.”

Innocence

To live by the tree of life, we must return to our innocence and childlikeness.  Jesus told us to be wise as serpents
and harmless as doves (Mat 10:16) and that we must come to Him as little children (Mat 18:3).  We must  learn to
protect and maintain our innocence.

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.  (Prov 4:23 NKJ)

If we live by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we will always be blaming others.  Whoever you are
blaming takes God’s place.  Now this person that you blame, is your lord and has all your attention.  And you’ll
always be a victim.

Choosing to live from the tree of life confuses the forces of darkness.  The devil can find no scenario to get you to
react to, because you’re refusing to be controlled by the knowledge of good and evil.

When Martha was working hard in the kitchen to prepare a meal for Jesus, she became angry at her sister Mary as
well as at Jesus Himself.  She scolded Jesus by saying "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve
alone? Therefore tell her to help me."  (Luke 10:40 NKJ)

Martha was trying so hard to serve the Lord (by her own standards) that she was angry and frustrated with her
sister who didn’t jump into the strife with her.  She was eating from the wrong tree.  Jesus brought life and clarity to
the situation saying, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed,
and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."  (Luke 10:41-42 NKJ)

Mary was eating from the tree of life.  She had her priorities in order and was choosing to stay in tune with Jesus.

Avoid Negative Relationships

Avoid people who refuse to talk about anything but injustices, things they are bitter and angry about, and things that
want to steal your innocence.  Stay connected to the tree of life.  Let life flow and let God be the judge, releasing
things and people to Him.

How do you read the Bible?  Do you see God bringing judgment and condemnation on everyone?  You’re eating
from the wrong tree.  Or do you read it feeling the compassion and love of God who is reaching out to mankind and
calling everyone to Himself?

How do you react when someone you know has fallen in a sin?  Do you pronounce judgment on them and tell them
how disappointed you are in them?  Or do you plug into the tree of life – not condoning their sin – but offering them
your help and a way out of their sin?

How do you react when your children don’t measure up to your expectations?  Do you tell them how disappointed
you are in them and emphasize their failure?  Or do you eat from the tree of life and minister to them in a way which
offers them an escape and the knowledge they can do better?

From which tree are you eating?