Naked?
The second question ever asked of Man, was, "Who told you that you were naked?" This question was asked because of a transformation that took place in Man after an encounter with a force that shifted him from a place of unlimited power, confidence, authority, and dominion to a place of lack, vulnerability, self-consciousness, and condemnation. Once Man's thoughts became contaminated, his sight, his perception, and his understanding of reality became limited to the basic realm of the physical, hence why the perception of himself shifted to a place of shame.
To give you context as to why this question was asked, the story goes as follows. Man and his companion had everything they could ever want in the place that was prepared for them. Their every needs were met. They lacked nothing. They didn't have to sweat and work hard for anything, nor did they need to depend on another person to provide them work in order to care for themselves.
The earth provided whatever they needed for food and medicine. All they had to do was harvest what the earth produced and return the seeds back into the ground so that the land would continually reproduce more food after its own kind.
Man was very comfortable, at ease and at rest, knowing their existence and sustenance was a gift from the creator who made them and who made the earth, that was designed to produce whatever they needed. They knew all this because the first Man, taught by God alone, remained close to his creator, in whose image and likeness he reflected.
In his learning, Man knew, as his creator had taught him, that everything was good for him to have and do except one thing. That one thing was, not to partake of the fruit of the one tree that held knowledge of good and evil. Man was told that in the day that he partook of that one tree, he would surely die! Man agreed and obeyed.
The helper, made from Man, to serve as companion, comforter, and bearer of his seed, lived harmoniously until a force influenced their thinking. The new thinking contradicted the word of Man's creator. Once Man acted on the new thinking, showing unbelief and a lack of faith in his creator, but confidence in himself, a death indeed occurred in Man, who ever since then, has been searching to be filled, feel complete and alive again.
"Who told you that you were naked?" was the second question asked. But the very first question to Man was, "Where are you?" Prior to that first question, there was never a need to ask that, because Man was never separated from his life source, but always in the presence of his creator, reflecting his very image and likeness in all ways. The asking of, "Where are you?" indicates a separation between Man and his creator occured.
Separated from his life source and thoughts contaminated, sight, perception, and understanding of Man became limited to the realm of the physical. But in the realm of the spirit, God, who is Man's creator, still exists, creating a way for man to be restored to his true nature and identity of unlimited power, confidence, authority, and dominion.
Unfortunately for Man, in the realm of the spirit also exists forces contrary to God, who is good and all loving. The force that convinced Man that God was a tyrant in forbidding him to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil also exists in the realm of the spirit. As God is continually making a way for Man to return into his presence, the force that deceived Man also, continually makes ways for Man to be in his presence.
As God, who is light, makes ways to reveal truth to Man, the antithesis of God makes ways to confuse Man, driving him deeper into darkness. As we are in the final days before all that was written is accomplished in the time allotted, there are some who hear the voice calling them out of that darkness and confusion. As we are in the final days, there are some whose eyes are opening, ears unstopping, hearts believing, and minds being restored.
But in Man's last days, the distractions, enticements of the flesh, pride and arrogance of the ego are secondary to Man's ignorance his true identity. Fallen from a place of love, contentment, abundance, confidence and creativity, a new image of Man so twisted and distorted, with a mind prone to destruction and evil, leaves us asking in the 21st century, "What happened to our humanity?
Not knowing his true identity, Man is susceptible to the same dark force from the beginning that influenced Man's decision that resulted in his spirit separating from God. That same contradictory force inspires Man to mutilate his flesh to conform to a perceived ideal, instead of practicing self-love. That same dark force inspires Man to alter minds with drugs and create alternate realities rather than seeking freedom from truth in love.
God still asks Man who has yet to find his way back to truth, the same questions in our 21st century. "Where are you?" and "Who told you that you were too skinny, too fat, too tall, too short, too ugly? Who told you that your skin was too dark or too light? Who told you that you were in the wrong body? Who told you that God doesn't love you because of your sins? Who told you that you are too far gone to be snatched out of the pit of darkness?"
For the overcomers who believe in the power of our God and father in heaven, "Who told you, Les Brown, world-class motivational speaker, that you were Mentally Educable Retarded? Who told you, famous comedian Steve Harvey, that you can never be on stage because of your stutter? Who told you, inspirational teacher and philanthropist Joyce Myers, that your father sexually abusing you, mess up your mental state so badly, that you won't be able to function normally? Again Man, who told you that you were naked?"
Beloved, be careful of who is labeling and defining you. Who does God say you are?
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