Comfortable in the middle

This is the 9th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and most recent posts. The story of the Tree of Life begins in Genesis Until now, the focus of this series of posts has been an explanation of the tree of life, primarily using Revelation 22, verses 1-3.  This post addresses the tree of life as described in the creation stories in the Book of Genesis, chapters 2 and 3.  The first mention of the tree of life is in Genesis 2, verse 9.  Here is Genesis 2, verses 8 and 9: Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. These two trees are specifically mentioned by name.  God gives specific instruction concerning humankind’s interaction with the trees in the garden....

This is the 8th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and most recent posts. This Tree of Life series has been anchored in Revelation 22, verses 1-3: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.   No longer will there be any curse. The last post discussed how the Tree of Life is perpetually in the light of God, meaning that water is able to continuously flow through and out of it.   For this to happen, there needs to be a reliable water source.   Plants in dry soil, when exposed to light, will wilt, due to lack of water.   The Tree of Life does not wilt, because there is always water. The Tree of Life has an abundant, continuous ...

This is the 7th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and sixth posts. This Tree of Life series has been anchored in Revelation 22, verses 1-3: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be any curse. What has been established is the nature of our relationship to God and Jesus, and the role we’ve been designed for, in God’s effort to draw all people to Himself.  Our purpose is fulfilled in the flow of the Holy Spirit through us, displayed in us, and emanating from us, just as a fruit tree produces fruit that is good to eat, and transpires water vapor into the environment all around it.  We are branches in the Tre...

This is the 6th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first , second , third , fourth , and fifth posts. In the Gospel of John, chapter 15, Jesus declared He is the vine and we are the branches.  We are branches bearing fruit and leaves.  I addressed our spiritual nature as fruit bearers in the last post .  We know the fruit we bear is the fruit of the spirit based on what Jesus declared in the Gospel of John, chapter 7 (verses 37-38) “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” Note the wording in verse 38, and compare different translations  to gain a fuller understanding of what Jesus said.  Here is the Tree of Life version (I actually didn’t know that there was a Tree of Life version until now!) “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” Every tran...