Restoring Eden

Welcome to the podcast Alright guys, welcome

back to the podcast this will be the final episode

of Season one. Next season will begin in September.

I got a plan for it. I hope between now and then

to have a few different conversations. Unless

God steers me in the other direction, the next

season, season two, will go on from September

to November, and it will be focusing on men.

I'm not saying women, you can't listen to it,

but the target audience will be men. That will

be our goal. And also, just so you have a heads

up, I'm revamping a lot of the podcast. It'll

have a new name. Starting in September, I'll

have a new opener, a new logo. It'll be called

Echoes of Eden. That's just something that's

been on my heart. I use metanoia ministries for

my first one. Just to kind of test the waters,

this has been a learning experience. I've never

done anything like this. So this has been new.

I hope those that have listened have got something

out of it. But I'm hoping in season two to start

really being more intentional with it, taking

the things I've learned with this first season.

This will be the 13th episode. I think that's

pretty good for the first season. But yeah anyhow

jumping into this podcast I thought since Season

two will begin the echoes of Eden I'm changing

the name and everything of it. I Wanted to talk

tonight or I'm recording this at night, but I

wanted to talk on this podcast about restoring

Eden And the concept of you have all that you

need I want you to think about Eden is that the

name Eden means land of delight. It's a place

of pleasure and a place of delight. Imago Dei,

and I may have butchered that, is the image of

God. It's the image of God in me. And I want

to start with this scripture as we begin. It's

Jeremiah 6, 16, and it says, Stand at the crossroads.

Now consider your ways and ask for the ancient

paths, which is God's way. Walk on His path and

you'll enjoy a resting place for yourselves.

There seems to be a longing, at least in my own

personal life, for an ancient path. The ancient

ways. The passive old. Not previous generation

old, but like old as in the original design.

the original intent of the Father, the original

design of Yahweh. And the ancient path is His

way. It's the good way. It's the path that I

wholeheartedly believe Jesus is referring to

in Matthew 7 when He says, enter through the

narrow gate. The narrow gate and difficult way

leads to eternal life. So few find it. And now

this is my personal opinion, and again, I don't

claim to be right necessarily, and I don't even

believe that right and wrong is the conversation

anymore. I believe the conversation is let's

go on a journey. And we're all in different parts

of that journey. The Father has to speak to us

differently because we all have different lens

that we see through. We're all at different points

in life, and He knows how to get our attention.

So again, I'm not saying my stuff is right. I'm

just hoping that it entices you to go on a journey

and you begin to ask Holy Spirit the questions

yourself. My personal opinion based on my conversations

with Holy Spirit and the context is that this

verse about the path has nothing to do with heaven

and hell. Consider the church, a large majority

is just as medicated as the world. just as confused

as the world, just as stressed out as the world,

just as hopeless as the world. And that list

can go on and on and on. Most of the church,

I would have to argue, has not found the narrow

path. They're on a path leading to destruction

and I think it's very simply because they do

not honestly know who Abba is and therefore do

not know who they are. I believe the largest

threat facing the church, at least in the western

part of the world, is identity. And I'll never

forget one of the statements made in the movie

The Shack that said this, you were made to be

loved. If you haven't seen the movie, I would

encourage you to go watch it. Be forewarned,

it will challenge your theology like crazy. But

I want you to think about Eden and the very meaning

of Eden is place of pleasure or delight. Yet

I was taught growing up in the church I was meant

to struggle most if not all of my life. You're

supposed to struggle with sin, struggle with

the enemy, with myself, you name it. And I do

not, I have to say this at this point in my life,

I do not believe that is the original design.

That was not Papa's original intent for his children.

I want you to think about it. Ask the questions.

I never felt freedom to ask questions growing

up in the church world. And I'm not saying, I

don't believe anyone ever said you can't ask

questions. But I think it's just the culture

that was created. And I had some amazing pastors

in my life. This is not to throw any kind of

shade at anybody. I believe it was the church

world that I had grown up in. But I grew up believing

you don't question God and you don't question

the man of God. Yet I am discovering that questions

are an important part of maturing. As I think

about this, I think about my own children, and

as they grow, there are constant questions. Innocent

questions. Questions that they're looking for

answers to. They want to understand life. And

I think we, sometimes as parents, believe they

have it all figured out and that they're supposed

to just do exactly what they're supposed to do,

forgetting they're only, let's see, my kids are

10, 6, and almost 7 months. And I think we forget

that they're not supposed to have the answers.

They're going to ask questions because that's

who they are as a child. I hope that makes sense.

But questions, they stir up thoughts. They hassle

our conscience and push us to find answers through

deeper study. They encourage conversation and

investigation. Good questions can be transformative.

Questions, they stimulate discussion and creative

and critical thinking. When you ask a question,

instead of giving the answer, the entire brain

gets active as it reflects, releasing serotonin,

allowing it to relax. This encourages gathering

intelligence from all areas of the brain allowing

for more insight than would happen if you provided

solutions to others. So questions are a good

thing. They're not bad. They're not meant as

disrespect. They're not meant as anything more

than you trying to grow. My whole point of doing

this podcast and bringing a different viewpoint

than maybe what you've heard before is to cause

you to ask questions. I think, I want to get

on a soapbox, but I think about the current situation

that we have in our world. We just was watching

Iran and Israel do all this, and people are like,

oh, this is going to be World War III. The problem

is, Israel and Iran has always been in conflict.

And they're going to continuously be in conflict

until Israel figures out actually who they are.

And I know you can... We can have the political

discussion as do we back Israel all the time

or yada yada yada? I'm not here to discuss that

but this this is one of the concerns that I have

And you can cut me off after this if you won't

I mean it's it's going to be what it is But I

want to challenge your mindset. I Remember watching

a documentary I believe it may be on Netflix.

I don't remember or YouTube or something That

people who knew the scripture and how the end

was supposedly quote -unquote to come They would

make decisions based off of their understanding

of scripture Now follow me My concern is I know

even with this prayer our current president there's

a Christian cabinet, I don't know I forget what

they called them But there's a bunch of Christian

pastors and leaders. And my concern would be

this, and this is just a thought. This whole

thing goes about questioning and journeying.

You've got a bunch of people that the president

has, that they have the president's ear. Are

they going to make suggestions based off how

they believe the world is quote unquote supposed

to end? and help encourage His decisions and

sway His decisions to fit their end -time theology.

That's a legit question and concern that I have

with the present world that we live in. Anyhow,

I'm going to get off my soapbox for a minute.

But I want you to think about the questions.

Exodus 4, 2 -9, God asks, what is in your hand?

2 Kings 4, 2 -4, the prophet says, what do you

have in your house? The first question God asked

in Genesis 3 -9, where are you? John 1 -38, what

do you want or what do you seek? That's Jesus'

first words in the Gospel of John. Understand

that God never asks you for something that He

has not already given and supplied you with.

I want you to think about Luke 17 verse 20, it

Luke 17:20

says the kingdom is within you. Jesus understood

that. He remained in union with the Father. The

Trinity walked just as you and I are supposed

to do. We have the same spirit within us as the

Christ did, as Jesus did, as Yeshua did. We have

the same spirit within us. Deuteronomy 30, 11

-14 says, This command I am giving you today

is not too difficult for you. And it is not beyond

your reach. It is not kept in heaven so distant

that you must ask, Who will go up to heaven and

bring it down so we can hear it and obey? It

is not kept beyond the sea so far away that you

must ask, Who will cross the sea to bring it

to us so we can hear it and obey? No, the message

is very close at hand. It is on your lips and

in your heart so that you can obey it. Ephesians

1, 1 -11. I'm writing this letter to all the

devoted believers who have been made holy by

being one with Jesus, the Anointed One. You've

already been made holy just because you're one

with Him. And you didn't get a say in that. The

more you understand that you are one with Him,

and understand your authentic identity, only

reveal to the Christ you will begin to live from

that. May God the Heavenly Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ release grace over you and impart

total well -being into your lives. Every spiritual

blessing in the heavenly realm has already been

lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful

Heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus.

All because He sees us wrapped into Christ, that

is why we celebrate Him with all of our hearts.

Verse 4, And in love He chose us before He laid

the foundation of the universe. Because of His

great love He ordained us, so that we would be

seen as holy in His eyes and with unstained innocence.

For it was always in His perfect plan to adopt

us as His delightful children. through our union

with Jesus the Anointed One, so that His tremendous

love that cascades over us would glorify His

grace for the same love He has for the beloved

Jesus He has for us. And this unfolding plan

brings Him great pleasure. Verse 7, Since we

are now joined to Christ, we have been given

the treasures of redemption by His blood, the

total cancellation of our sins all because the

cascading riches of His grace. You know the exciting

part of that verse is that was penned before

you and I were ever born. Before you ever messed

it all up, the total cancellation of our sins

was already taken care of. This super abundant

grace is already powerfully working in us, releasing

all forms of wisdom and practical understanding.

And through the revelation of the Anointed One,

He unveiled His secret desires to us, the hidden

mystery of His long -range plan, which He was

delighted to implement from the very beginning

of time. And because of God's unfailing purpose,

this detailed plan will reign supreme through

every period of time until the fulfillment of

all the ages finally reaches its climax, when

God makes all things new and all of heaven and

earth through Jesus Christ. And through our union

with Him, With Christ, we too have been claimed

by God as His own inheritance. Before we were

ever born, He gave us our destiny that we would

fulfill the plan of God who always accomplishes

every purpose and plan in His heart. Now, again,

we're talking about restoring Eden. And I think

Ephesians that we just read does a great job.

of helping us understand. We already have everything

that we need. We have the total cancellation

of our stands. We have the super abundant grace

is already working within us. We are one with

Christ right now. Right here, right now, wherever

you're at, you're one with Christ. And then I

love Deuteronomy. I had to read that one because

At the end of verse 14 it says, the message is

very close at hand. It's on your lips. This is

something not in a distant land. Sometimes you

have to go far away to get it. It's within you.

Just like Luke 17, 20 says, the kingdom of God

is within you. Eden is within you. Think about

this thought. I wrote this down. That according

to multiple studies, multitasking is a myth.

The human brain is not designed to perform multiple

tasks at the same time. Instead, people switch

between tasks very quickly, which is called task

switching. This process uses a lot of brain power,

even if you don't realize it. People who think

they can split their attention between multiple

tasks at once aren't actually getting more done.

In fact, they're doing less, getting more stressed

out, and performing worse than those who single

task. I want you to think about that. Because

I'm guilty of being the so -called multi -tasker.

And when I begin to read this and study this,

I'm like, um, no. Maybe that's why I'm so tired

all the time. But when I read that, and I studied

that, I began to wonder, could this be why David

said in Psalm 27, 4 -6, that here's the one thing

that I crave from Yahweh. The one thing I seek

above all else. I want to live with Him every

moment in His house, beholding the marvelous

beauty of Yahweh, filled with all, delighting

in His glory and grace. I want to contemplate

in His temple. In the day of trouble He will

treasure me in His shelter under the cover of

His tent. He will lift me high upon a rock out

of reach from all enemies who surround me. Triumphant

now, I'll bring Him my offerings of praise, singing

and shouting with ecstatic joy. Yes, I will sing

praises to Yahweh. Could this be why Jesus said

in Matthew 6, 31 -34, So then forsake your worries.

Why would you say, what will we eat or drink?

What will we wear? For this is what the unbelievers

chase after. Doesn't your Heavenly Father already

know the things your bodies require? So above

all, constantly seek God's kingdom and His righteousness.

And then all these less important things will

be given to you abundantly. Refuse to worry about

tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes

your way one day at a time. tomorrow will take

care of itself. The magnificent thing about,

that I find fascinating, or one of them, I guess,

when you think about Eden, Adam and Eve in that

moment would have had to have a single focus,

and that was on union and intimacy with Yahweh.

They walked with Him, they talked with Him, they

communed with Him on a regular basis. There's

nothing in Scripture in Genesis that says that

they were distracted. That they had all these

other things they had to get done. There's nowhere

that you find them going, I've got a cane today,

I've got some stuff to get done. But they walked

in constant communion and constant intimacy with

Yahweh. They had a single focus. And I don't

know, maybe they did, I don't know what they

did. I wasn't there. But they had a singular

focus. They focused on being one with Him. They

focused on going for the walk. So I want you

to think back to the garden. Man's focus was

simply on Him. Their focus was being vulnerable.

and being intimate with him, walking in the garden

together. I want to read just a note here, because

I find this interesting. Some people probably

won't, but I find this very interesting. But

if you read the passion translation, there is

a notation in Genesis 2 -3 that talks about The

Sabbath. And it says this, it says, God was not

weary, he simply rejoiced in his masterpiece.

So again, we're talking about the Sabbath, this

word, Genesis 2 .3, we read, So God blessed the

seventh day, made it sacred, because on it he

paused to rest from all his work of creation.

But He says He was not weary, He simply rejoiced

in His masterpiece. God's work in us, for us,

and through us continues through time. God's

last day of creating was man's first day. As

soon as man was created, he rested with God.

In this way, he became one with God, dwelling

with Him and resting in His accomplishments.

There is no mention of evening and morning completing

the seventh day, for God's Sabbath rest endures

forever, and there is no night there. Our true

Sabbath rest is found in the finished work of

Christ. Only one day of creation was given a

name, the seventh day, which was called Shabbat,

the Hebrew root word for Sabbath. contains two

letters that mean to return to a seat or rest

and learn. Just think about that. Consider Genesis

3 .7. It says, immediately their eyes were opened

and they realized they were naked, vulnerable,

and ashamed. Their eyes were opened. and they

began to realize that they were naked, vulnerable,

and that they were also ashamed. But my question

is, was this not the design for us to walk naked

and vulnerable before Him every single day? It's

just like marriage with my wife who was on the

previous podcast. I have to remain vulnerable

before her and vice versa. That's how you build

the intimacy. You're vulnerable with each other.

And skipped into verse 22, the Trinity has a

conversation. It says, The man has become like

one of us, knowing good and evil, and now he

might take in his hands the fruit from the tree

of life and eat it and live forever. The tree

of life was never forbidden, but it was love

that said we cannot allow them to remain here

and life forever in this state. We have to lay

down our lives and restore it all back. I want

you to think about that. The tree of life was

never the forbidden fruit. But it was the love

that said we cannot allow them to remain here

and live forever in this state. We have to lay

down our lives and restore it all back. That's

why I believe it's also Ephesians that says he

was the lamb slain before the foundations of

the world. Jesus wasn't a Plan B. He was the

original design all along. He knew we'd screw

it up. That's why He fixed it before He ever

created time. He was outside of time, fixed it

before time ever began. The Lamb that was slain

before the foundation of the world, it was already

completed before the world was framed, before

time ever began. It was never a plan B. It was

the original plan and heaven just needed to invade

earth and here again, We are in a place where

we need heaven to invade her. But it will never

happen if we do not allow Eden to be restored

in our lives. It will never happen if we don't

find our secret places as a child and become

one with Him again. There's a couple old church

fathers. Gregory of Nicea, he's a fourth century

theologian in the year 335 to 394. He penned

this, he said, since with all my soul I behold

the face of my beloved, therefore all the beauty

of his form is seen in me. Gregory of Nacianus,

he said, I cannot think of the one without quickly

being encircled by the splendor of the three,

nor can I discern the three without being straightway

carried back to the one. I forgot to write down

who this last one was, but it said He wants you

to become a living force for all mankind, lights

shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights

as you stand beside Christ, the Great Light,

bathed in the glory of Him who is the light of

heaven. Essentially, we have to allow Holy Spirit

to restore Eden within us. And just like in Deuteronomy,

it's not far out. You don't have to leap over

all this stuff to get to it. It's already within

you. Go back and read Ephesians 1 -11. Go back

and read that and understand what's already been

paid for you. What is already deep inside you.

Luke 17, the kingdom of God is within you. You

and I. If we would quit trying to multitask and

to juggle, I know we live in a world where you

almost have to try to do that. You're pulled

in a thousand different directions. But if we

could slow down and understand that He just wants

a single focus, just like David, here's the one

thing I crave. The one thing I seek above all

else. It's the words of Jesus that says, seek

the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And

then all these less important things will be

given to you abundantly. My friends, this whole

13 weeks, my goal has been to do nothing but

to get whoever listens to it to go on a journey.

of asking the difficult questions. I'm fully

aware that my views are not popular. I'm fully

aware of that and that's okay with me. It really

is. I'm okay with asking the hard questions and

understanding that there may be an answer to

the questions that goes against things that I

was taught. There may be a higher way than what

I was taught and that that's I'm okay with that

I'm okay being misunderstood I'm okay with all

of that It does not bother me Most of the time

there are times I think that's with anything

And again, I'm not sitting here saying everything

you've heard over these 13 weeks or 13, excuse

me, 13 podcasts. It's been much longer than 13

weeks. I'm not saying I'm right. But again, I've

come to the belief that I don't think the question

is about right and wrong. I think the question

is, where are you on your journey? Have you even

started your journey? Are you just going through

the motions? How do I say that? Going through

the motions and forgetting that there's something

much deeper within you. There's something inside

of you calling out for more. And I know you're

probably listening to this and maybe you're asking

the question, is this it? And I just want to

help you. No, it's not. There's much more. There's

a better way. There's a higher way. There's a

kingdom way. I'm finding myself more and more

as I look at the stuff happening in the world.

I'm starting to ask more questions such as what

is the kingdom way in this? What's the kingdom

solution to this problem? Because the kingdom

of God has solutions to the problems we face.

if we're willing to listen to them. We simply

got to be obedient to Holy Spirit. Go for the

walk. Metanoia. Come back to your senses. This

goes all the way back to one of the first podcasts

I did on one of your thoughts. Allow Holy Spirit

to completely renovate your mind. Understand

that you've been given The mind of Christ. Man,

do we understand what that even means. Honestly,

I don't claim to know what that really entails

when He says we've been given the mind of Christ.

It's an invitation, friends, to go deeper. It's

an invitation to go further. It's an invitation

to come up here. An invitation to go higher.

That's what I hope these 13 podcasts have made

you do, is ask questions. Wherever you're listening

from, ask the questions. Father, I thank You

for anyone listening to this episode, these podcasts,

these 13 episodes that You've given me to share

with people. Maybe it's only a handful right

now. Holy Spirit, I ask that You would speak

to their hearts. Holy Spirit, reveal Yourself

to them. Invite them on the journey. Invite them

on the journey to become more like you. Father,

I ask that you would restore Eden within each

of us. To help us to understand that we have

all that we need already deposited inside of

us that you have left us without nothing. You've

withheld nothing from us. Thank you, Holy Spirit,

for these 13 episodes. I hope and I pray that

I've communicated what you've given me well.

pray about the next season would you give me

clarity give me wisdom to be able to communicate

the kingdom and communicate your voice with your

people as you've given me amen friends again

i hope you've enjoyed this i ask that you leave

a review Just so I would know that people listen

sometimes Just a last reminder Again, I don't

have a marketing team so I put my own plugs out

there I've got two devotionals now. You can find

them on Amazon The one is called echoes of Eden.

It's a 30 -day devotional I actually updated

it to include it's a bigger font and I included

a spot for you to write in that one into Record

your thoughts. It's a 30 -day devotional, but

it's one of those that I do not believe anyone

will actually get through it within 30 days.

I hope it takes you a whole year to go through,

because it is challenging. It was challenging

for me to write, so I think it'll be challenging

for some to read, and that's okay. But I have

that one, and I also have Unmasking Your Divine

Destiny. It's another 30 -day devotional for

men. I've been told women can read it, too, and

they could. But both of those you can find on

Amazon. I just put my name. That's Chris, C -H

-R -I -S. Last name is spelled C -O -B -L -E

-R. So Chris Kobler. You can find those both

on Amazon. Please go get them. You can get the

kindle version the paperback and actually the

newest one that goes if Eden has a hardback edition

if you'd like to get that But anyhow, I hope

I hope and I pray that these have blessed someone

And I will see you guys well see you I will talk

to you guys again in September for season 2 Don't

forget stay tuned It will be going, switching

from Metanoia Ministries to Echoes of Eden. Just

know that. Anyhow, be blessed. Love you guys

and I'm praying for you all.