Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
It is difficult to resolve problems in a home if spouses are not honest with each other. In Genesis 27-28, Rebekah used her favorite son Jacob to decieve her husband into blessing Jacob instead of Esau. Jacob didn't want anything to do with her plan, but she commanded her son to obey her in deceiving her husband.
Genesis 27:11-13 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
Rebekah was dishonest and taught her son to be dishonest - even to the point of desiring a curse on herself instead of being truthful with her husband and her son. Jacob was about 70 years old at this time, so we're not dealing with a 6 year old that is learning how to cope with life. But how true it is that children will learn behavior patterns from their parents.
Rebekah was also abusive. She blamed Jacob for orchestrating this scheme to deceive Isaac.
Genesis 27:45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?
Rebekah commanded Jacob to deceive her husband to steal Esau's blessing. Esau found out about the deception and plans to kill Jacob. If there was ever a time for Isaac and Rebekah to have an honest conversation, it was during the events recorded in Gen 27. But they never resolve this mess. Rebekah never finds room for repentance for her deception and compounds it with another lie. She tells her husband that she wants Jacob to leave home before he marries one of the heathen Heth girls. The real reason she wants Jacob to leave is so that he won't be killed by Esau!
Rebekah was a deceiver and taught her son to lie and cheat instead of dealing with problems in an honest fashion. Mom, are you honest with your children and your husband? What are you sowing?
Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Genesis 25: Guard the Precious Things
Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. We can learn a lot about making right choices by studying the lives of these two men and their parents.
In Genesis 25, Esau came in from hunting and found his brother making stew. I believe he was a larger man. We do know that he was covered in red hair and was a great hunter. Esau claimed that he was going to die if he did not get some of Jacob’s food. Jacob took advantage of his brother and requested Esau give Jacob his birthright in exchange for some stew. Famished, Esau quickly agreed and gave away his birthright for a bowl of soup.
The ancient, middle-eastern custom of the birthright meant the firstborn would be heir of the lion’s share of his father’s estate when he died. Moreover, the holder of the birthright would later become the leader of the clan. At the time, to have the birthright was a great honor and esteemed to be very precious. The birthright also had a huge spiritual dimension, especially in this particular family’s case due to the Abrahamic covenant and both of these boys knew it. Esau should have cherished and guarded his birthright, but instead, he traded it for a bowl of soup to satisfy an immediate desire for food.
Isaac preferred his son Esau, while their mother, Rebekah, preferred Jacob. Later, as recorded in Genesis 27, Isaac asked his son Esau to go get him meat from the field and prepare it. Isaac would give him his blessing when Esau returned. Rebekah overheard the conversation and manipulated her husband to get what she wanted: a blessing for Jacob! Esau returns from the field to find his blessing has been robbed by his brother’s deception.
Esau now cries out to God in bitterness over losing first his birthright and then his blessing, but it is too late. Esau was quick to trade his birthright, something that was precious to him and was irreplaceable, for a pot of stew on a moment’s notice and now he lost his blessing. We also notice that he despised his parents and married women they disapproved of, just to spite Mom and Dad. How can we avoid making the same kinds of foolish choices in life?
Don’t let your flesh override Godly wisdom. If we have Christ in our heart, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us. But if Christians choose to heed the lusts of the flesh, we’ll make foolish mistakes.
Esau sought present gratification at the price of giving up far greater future good. He failed to consider tomorrow’s costs for today’s decisions.
He focused on the sensual and physical and ignored the precious thing that God gave him. How often do we do the same thing! We get so distracted by the world around us and forget about the spiritual! We set our affections on things on earth instead of things above!
He lost his priorities, like Lot in Sodom who offered up his virgin daughters to wicked men. Esau and Lot were both willing to give up something precious and irreplaceable to satisfy some temporary need. Let’s not forget the things in life that are really important. And don’t sacrifice them for immediate fleshly desires!
He was full of spite and bitterness. It is clear in Genesis 28:6-10 that Esau despised his brother, despised his parents’ wishes regarding their relationships with the wrong women and despised obeying his parents.
It is clear from a study of Hebrews 12:14-17 that Esau regretted his foolish decisions. Esau is described in the text as the example of what is “profane”. Profane means irreverent towards what is sacred. Of all the people God could have used from the scripture as an example of profanity, the Lord chose Esau! Esau treated with contempt that which should have been precious and guarded!
Further, Esau “found no place for repentance.” Esau cried and wept because of his decisions, but it was too late to repent. He could not turn the clock back on his life. Giving up that birthright for a bowl of stew seemed like a good idea at the time, but he later realized he lost one of the most important things he ever had.
And the consequences of his decisions didn’t stop there! Unrestrained living, unhealthy relationships (strange women, hatred toward his brother, spite towards his parents) yielded ungodly children. The descendants of Esau were called the Edomites. Many centuries later, Edom was eventually destroyed by decree of God (Isaiah 34:5,6; 63:1; Obadiah 1-21; Malachi 1:3). A man who cares nothing for the eternal perpetuates this in his kids. Edom became a symbol of the earthly, non-spiritual people of the world. People who care little for God and His will, but instead are carnal, greedy, and even treacherous are as the Edomites were, and as their ancestor, Esau, was.
Spouses have the spiritual blessing of being married. We fling that blessing away when we fail to resolve conflict. We fling that blessing away when we fail to enjoy one another and seek satisfaction in an adulterous relationship or pornography.
Parents have the spiritual blessing to influence children. We fling that blessing away when we forsake our God-given roles as parents. We fling that blessing away when we ignore our family. How many parents regret fling away their time to a business or a career while they wait to bail their child out of jail or attend their funeral!
Christians have a spiritual blessing in the fact they have one life to live for God. We fling that blessing away if we waste it chasing a career instead of time with God and seeking opportunities to serve God. We fling that away if we live only for ourselves and not for the Lord.
Our homes, our marriages, our children, our walk with God ought not be for sale or traded to satisfy some immediate impulse.
The ancient, middle-eastern custom of the birthright meant the firstborn would be heir of the lion’s share of his father’s estate when he died. Moreover, the holder of the birthright would later become the leader of the clan. At the time, to have the birthright was a great honor and esteemed to be very precious. The birthright also had a huge spiritual dimension, especially in this particular family’s case due to the Abrahamic covenant and both of these boys knew it. Esau should have cherished and guarded his birthright, but instead, he traded it for a bowl of soup to satisfy an immediate desire for food.
Isaac preferred his son Esau, while their mother, Rebekah, preferred Jacob. Later, as recorded in Genesis 27, Isaac asked his son Esau to go get him meat from the field and prepare it. Isaac would give him his blessing when Esau returned. Rebekah overheard the conversation and manipulated her husband to get what she wanted: a blessing for Jacob! Esau returns from the field to find his blessing has been robbed by his brother’s deception.
Esau now cries out to God in bitterness over losing first his birthright and then his blessing, but it is too late. Esau was quick to trade his birthright, something that was precious to him and was irreplaceable, for a pot of stew on a moment’s notice and now he lost his blessing. We also notice that he despised his parents and married women they disapproved of, just to spite Mom and Dad. How can we avoid making the same kinds of foolish choices in life?
Don’t let your flesh override Godly wisdom. If we have Christ in our heart, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us. But if Christians choose to heed the lusts of the flesh, we’ll make foolish mistakes.
Esau sought present gratification at the price of giving up far greater future good. He failed to consider tomorrow’s costs for today’s decisions.
He focused on the sensual and physical and ignored the precious thing that God gave him. How often do we do the same thing! We get so distracted by the world around us and forget about the spiritual! We set our affections on things on earth instead of things above!
He lost his priorities, like Lot in Sodom who offered up his virgin daughters to wicked men. Esau and Lot were both willing to give up something precious and irreplaceable to satisfy some temporary need. Let’s not forget the things in life that are really important. And don’t sacrifice them for immediate fleshly desires!
He was full of spite and bitterness. It is clear in Genesis 28:6-10 that Esau despised his brother, despised his parents’ wishes regarding their relationships with the wrong women and despised obeying his parents.
It is clear from a study of Hebrews 12:14-17 that Esau regretted his foolish decisions. Esau is described in the text as the example of what is “profane”. Profane means irreverent towards what is sacred. Of all the people God could have used from the scripture as an example of profanity, the Lord chose Esau! Esau treated with contempt that which should have been precious and guarded!
Further, Esau “found no place for repentance.” Esau cried and wept because of his decisions, but it was too late to repent. He could not turn the clock back on his life. Giving up that birthright for a bowl of stew seemed like a good idea at the time, but he later realized he lost one of the most important things he ever had.
And the consequences of his decisions didn’t stop there! Unrestrained living, unhealthy relationships (strange women, hatred toward his brother, spite towards his parents) yielded ungodly children. The descendants of Esau were called the Edomites. Many centuries later, Edom was eventually destroyed by decree of God (Isaiah 34:5,6; 63:1; Obadiah 1-21; Malachi 1:3). A man who cares nothing for the eternal perpetuates this in his kids. Edom became a symbol of the earthly, non-spiritual people of the world. People who care little for God and His will, but instead are carnal, greedy, and even treacherous are as the Edomites were, and as their ancestor, Esau, was.
Spouses have the spiritual blessing of being married. We fling that blessing away when we fail to resolve conflict. We fling that blessing away when we fail to enjoy one another and seek satisfaction in an adulterous relationship or pornography.
Parents have the spiritual blessing to influence children. We fling that blessing away when we forsake our God-given roles as parents. We fling that blessing away when we ignore our family. How many parents regret fling away their time to a business or a career while they wait to bail their child out of jail or attend their funeral!
Christians have a spiritual blessing in the fact they have one life to live for God. We fling that blessing away if we waste it chasing a career instead of time with God and seeking opportunities to serve God. We fling that away if we live only for ourselves and not for the Lord.
Our homes, our marriages, our children, our walk with God ought not be for sale or traded to satisfy some immediate impulse.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Genesis 24: How to Make Wise Decisions
The Bible is a practical book. If we seek Bible truth and the Lord’s leading in life, we can make wise decisions. We learn six important lessons for decision making in Genesis 24:1-21.
In the first few verses, we are introduced to Abraham and Isaac. In a sense, the anonymous servant is like the one that wants to follow the Lord. Abraham is representative of the Lord. There are six things the servant did that made it possible for him to follow God’s will:
Step One: He had an earnest desire to follow the Lord’s leading. The Servant desired to do the will of Abraham just as we should desire to do God’s will. If there is no desire to do God’s will, we’ll never find it.
Step Two: He had a fervent prayer life. The servant received a command from Abraham and the servant asked questions seeking clear direction: What if the woman won’t come with me?
Through a fervent prayer life, God the Father will give us certain instructions. If we are fearful or need more information before setting out to do God’s will, pray to the Lord for further guidance and encouragement. Abraham did not leave the servant without further direction: It was promised that an angel would go before the servant. God does not leave us without direction. He will go before us!
As hard as doing the will of the Lord might be, it’s a lot easier to first get clear direction from Him and pursue it, than setting off on our own course of trial and error only to make irreversible mistakes and later find ourselves praying for forgiveness for being so foolish.
Step Three: He conformed his will to the will of his master. The servant got his orders from Abraham and had some doubt as to whether the plan would work: What if she won’t come with me? Should I bring Isaac to that land? But Abraham confirmed the instructions and the servant brought his will into conformity with Abraham. The servant left Isaac at home and went forward by faith.
So should we bring our will into conformity with the Lord and not change the instructions that the Lord clearly gives. And you’ll notice that when a Christian wants to do their own will, they will accept the strangest and slightest indication that might prove God is leading them in that direction.
Step Four: The servant got prepared (v.10). The servant got clear direction and he physically prepared himself with the things needed to do the Lord’s will. When we find out what God wants us to do, let’s make the physical preparations that are necessary.
Step Five: He followed the Lord’s leading (v.27). If you want to do God’s will, get moving, doing what you know to do. The servant knew he had to leave and where he had to go. He did not know who he would meet, but he trusted God’s leading.
He did not abandon his Master’s instructions. He never left the road he started out on.
Psalms 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
A good Christian follows the Lord. And if the Christian should fall, he shall not be utterly cast down as the Lord continues to hold his hand and lead him!
Step Six: The servant looked for God’s leading (v.12-21). He followed God’s leading at the well and his prayer was answered before he could finish praying! (v.15) We like those kinds of answers!
Notice that there was no flash of lightning or burning bush indicating which lady was the answer to the servant’s prayer – just the trivial occurrences of day-to-day life at the well. Fortunately, this servant was discerning and not oblivious. He saw God’s hand in what appeared to be trivial matters to others. Beneath all the nothings and littlenesses, he saw the Lord clearly at work! God leaves a great deal to our common sense (which presents a problem for some!) Look to see how God is leading us by every day circumstances!
And when we get guidance from the Lord we need to follow it; whether the finger points down the easy path we want to go on or through some tangled path we want to avoid.
If we can determine to live that way in our daily life, God will always make it known where to go in His time.
Step One: He had an earnest desire to follow the Lord’s leading. The Servant desired to do the will of Abraham just as we should desire to do God’s will. If there is no desire to do God’s will, we’ll never find it.
Step Two: He had a fervent prayer life. The servant received a command from Abraham and the servant asked questions seeking clear direction: What if the woman won’t come with me?
Through a fervent prayer life, God the Father will give us certain instructions. If we are fearful or need more information before setting out to do God’s will, pray to the Lord for further guidance and encouragement. Abraham did not leave the servant without further direction: It was promised that an angel would go before the servant. God does not leave us without direction. He will go before us!
As hard as doing the will of the Lord might be, it’s a lot easier to first get clear direction from Him and pursue it, than setting off on our own course of trial and error only to make irreversible mistakes and later find ourselves praying for forgiveness for being so foolish.
Step Three: He conformed his will to the will of his master. The servant got his orders from Abraham and had some doubt as to whether the plan would work: What if she won’t come with me? Should I bring Isaac to that land? But Abraham confirmed the instructions and the servant brought his will into conformity with Abraham. The servant left Isaac at home and went forward by faith.
So should we bring our will into conformity with the Lord and not change the instructions that the Lord clearly gives. And you’ll notice that when a Christian wants to do their own will, they will accept the strangest and slightest indication that might prove God is leading them in that direction.
Step Four: The servant got prepared (v.10). The servant got clear direction and he physically prepared himself with the things needed to do the Lord’s will. When we find out what God wants us to do, let’s make the physical preparations that are necessary.
Step Five: He followed the Lord’s leading (v.27). If you want to do God’s will, get moving, doing what you know to do. The servant knew he had to leave and where he had to go. He did not know who he would meet, but he trusted God’s leading.
He did not abandon his Master’s instructions. He never left the road he started out on.
Psalms 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
A good Christian follows the Lord. And if the Christian should fall, he shall not be utterly cast down as the Lord continues to hold his hand and lead him!
Step Six: The servant looked for God’s leading (v.12-21). He followed God’s leading at the well and his prayer was answered before he could finish praying! (v.15) We like those kinds of answers!
Notice that there was no flash of lightning or burning bush indicating which lady was the answer to the servant’s prayer – just the trivial occurrences of day-to-day life at the well. Fortunately, this servant was discerning and not oblivious. He saw God’s hand in what appeared to be trivial matters to others. Beneath all the nothings and littlenesses, he saw the Lord clearly at work! God leaves a great deal to our common sense (which presents a problem for some!) Look to see how God is leading us by every day circumstances!
And when we get guidance from the Lord we need to follow it; whether the finger points down the easy path we want to go on or through some tangled path we want to avoid.
If we can determine to live that way in our daily life, God will always make it known where to go in His time.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
John 6: Are You Broken?
Over 5,000 people crowded around a hilltop to hear Jesus. In John 4:1-14 Jesus asked the disciples what they should do to feed them. Jesus knew what he would do, but he wanted to prove or test the faith of the disciples. The disciples had no idea how to feed all these people. Philip doesn’t think 200 pennyworth of bread could feed them all. As recorded in Mark 6, they even suggest telling the people to go away and feed themselves.
A lad had a small lunch of five barley loaves and two small fishes. Jesus takes the food, blesses it, breaks it and distributes it. He feeds the multitude and the disciples take home 12 baskets of leftovers. The theme of the book of John is “believing that we might have life” and the miracle definitely encourages someone to trust in Christ.
But what is powerful to consider is noticing exactly where the miracle took place:
John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
The disciples put 2 small fish and 5 loaves into the very hands of God. They took the little that they had and put it in the very hands of God and it was there in his hands that the little they gave was multiplied over and over and over again – Jesus kept breaking the bread and he that made life made more bread and more fish and an impossible need was met because a few people were faithful enough to entrust what they had to the very hands of God. Then the disciples got their baskets and the lad that gave the lunch didn’t go hungry either. It’s amazing to consider what the Lord can do with what little we give him.
But remember the purpose of the miracle: Jesus sought to prove the disciples. As that bread needed to be broken before it could be used, so the disciples and their way of doing things needed to be broken before they could be used. Their plan was to send the people away or buy them all bread. They considered the loaves and fishes too little among so many, but it was all they had. But that small amount was the very will of God for their lives at moment. And it was multiplied over and over.
We must surrender our plans, our power and our way of doing things to the hands of the Master. We don’t have to have all the details figured out and have all the answers, but God does. Our ideas of parenting or having a great marriage need to surrendered to His Word. Put your life in His hands, let Him break us of our will and use us in magnificent ways we never thought possible.
A lad had a small lunch of five barley loaves and two small fishes. Jesus takes the food, blesses it, breaks it and distributes it. He feeds the multitude and the disciples take home 12 baskets of leftovers. The theme of the book of John is “believing that we might have life” and the miracle definitely encourages someone to trust in Christ.
But what is powerful to consider is noticing exactly where the miracle took place:
John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
But remember the purpose of the miracle: Jesus sought to prove the disciples. As that bread needed to be broken before it could be used, so the disciples and their way of doing things needed to be broken before they could be used. Their plan was to send the people away or buy them all bread. They considered the loaves and fishes too little among so many, but it was all they had. But that small amount was the very will of God for their lives at moment. And it was multiplied over and over.
We must surrender our plans, our power and our way of doing things to the hands of the Master. We don’t have to have all the details figured out and have all the answers, but God does. Our ideas of parenting or having a great marriage need to surrendered to His Word. Put your life in His hands, let Him break us of our will and use us in magnificent ways we never thought possible.
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