Well it has been awhile but it is now time to get back to our mystery! Yeah! You can read Part 1 and Part 2 if you missed them.

We left off with two questions remaining unanswered: What were the lies and how many? So today we will begin to answer these as we cover the first lie and then look at how Satan is using this same lie in our present culture. The kids and I began this lesson by discussing whether Satan's lies to Eve had been effective. Of course we concluded that they had been and so I then asked them if they think Satan still uses the same lies since they were so effective? They decided that he probably did.

I had them go back to Genesis 3 and read the first words out of Satan's mouth.

"Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"

I underlined "Hath God said?" because in this we have our first lie. What was Satan trying to get Eve to question here? "Hath God said?" - In other words "Did He really mean it?" or "Can you really trust God's word?"

Satan was successful in convincing Eve that she could not trust God's word and he does indeed use that same lie today. Have any of you ever heard the following statement:

"We can't trust God's Word - it has been changed over the years, not what God gave us anymore but messed up by men instead."

So what does God say to this?

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.  Mark 13:31

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost.  2 Peter 1:20-21

All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.  2 Tim. 3:16-17

Besides looking these up we also took this opportunity to read a book about the history of the Bible called The World's Most Wonderful Book: How the Bible Came To Be. It is a wonderful children's book! We also watched a DVD we found at our library called Ink and Blood which was also very good. (On a side note this DVD is from a traveling museum exhibit - if you follow the link I gave to read about it you will also be able to check and see if it will be in your area.)

Alright, so back to the lies. Here is another statement I am sure you all have heard as well:

"The Bible is out of date, old-fashioned. What may have worked then does not apply to today. In some places you can get arrested for spanking your kids. Wives certainly don't need to be submissive - it is degrading. Experts say that homosexuality is a natural way of life that can't be changed. And everyone sleeps around before marriage."

(Well - I am sure you can guess that I did not use all of these examples but I am sure that those of you with teenagers could bring these all of these things out.) So again, what does God say to this?

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. Matt. 7:24-25

Here's another statement:

"The Bible is just another book."

God says:

For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.  Prov. 4:20-22

Wow! I don't know any other books that can boast this! And we know there are so many other verses that tell us of how the Word is living.

Here is one more statement we hear today attacking God's Word:

"Basically, the Bible is a good read, but some parts I have never read because I just don't understand them, some parts I have cut out because I did not like or agree with them, and I have added some other materials that I deem just as important."

Yikes! So what does God say to this? Read on:

Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.  Prov. 30:5-6

Can any of you think of more ways we hear Satan's same lie today? Well, I am going to end here for today. Next time we will look at Lie #2.