The Fearful Side to Grace.

The Fearful Side to Grace. Exodus 22:22-31.

For too long people have only considered grace as only extending to sinners; however, there is another side to God’s grace. The heart of God goes out to those who are troubled, afflicted, and poor. This side of grace we must all understand and learn.

Being made in the image of God, we humans look into the sad eyes of child and melt. Seeing the downtrodden, the homeless, and the afflicted should move our hearts with compassion; this is the other side of grace.

However, if we cannot feel compassion, our hearts have become calloused and the spiritual side of our life is spoiled. There is a danger to having a calloused heart and saying that you are jaded is no excuse.

Let it be known that God rejects people who cannot see the need of others and His anger flairs when the downtrodden are trampled upon. Selfishness is not in God’s nature and neither should it be in ours.

“You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. Exodus 22:22-24(NKJV)

This verse holds a great promise all should understand. God will revenge these who have been afflicted. The statement does not exclude them who call themselves Christians. This is written to and encompasses all of God’s people.

Jesus told of His disciples, “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Luke 12:4-5(NKJV)

This side of grace can nullify the other side of grace. A person who has accepted God’s sacrifice for their sin can cause much conflict between them and God if they go on to live selfishly; self centering on their own needs or walking past the needs of others.

God’s sword and vengeance will come upon the Day of Judgment. People from all ages will be lined up before the throne of the Lord and He will separate them like sheep from goats. Families will be separated as a great divide slashes through the people, separating the mass in two.

One side will be the goats and the other side will be the sheep and the words spoken to the sheep will be, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Mathew 25:34-40(NKJV)

The goats will hear something different; they will hear, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Mathew 25:41-43(NKJV)

Though our passage only mentions widows and orphans, as you can see the principle extends to many situations where God’s heart has compassion.

“If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest. Exodus 22:25(NKJV)

It is the principle of grace. If God showed us grace while we were yet sinners, should not we show grace to others? Should we gain from the poor and needy or give of ourselves to help them? Just in this one principle many can be divided into two groups.

If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious. Exodus 22:26-27(NKJV)

In principle a person should always consider the hard and cold lodgings of others and never make them worse. Though in our day we cannot house the world and many choose to be homeless, we should never add to their suffering.

“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people. Exodus 22:28(NKJV)

This short sentence is packed with meaning. In the New Testaments the Apostle Paul taught extensively that people are to be subject to their magistrates. Those in authority are allowed their authority by God.

Where some in authority may be godly and others ungodly; they answer for their decision in a greater accountability to God.

People should never revile God by cursing or speaking badly of those in authority. To do so would be stepping into God’s business to try to change the situation and there could be no greater criticism or lack of respect towards God.

“You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me. “And you shall be holy men to Me: you shall not eat meat torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs. Exodus 22:29-31(NKJV)

Everything we have, from our lodging, our food, our clothes, to our status in life, is granted to us by God. Using it within Godly precepts is our duty before God.

The giving of the first fruits is a way of thinking of God before we think of ourselves. It is the order that God would have us live in so that we might have respect to all of our possessions, talents, gifts, and status.

Giving of our best or first to God, softens the callousness which grows inside our heart. The world and it’s ways push upon us to become cold, bitter, ungracious, and selfish; however, our God would have us be different.

Holiness is living in grace. It is not only grace for us; it is grace for others. Seeing their need, then helping and at least not making their situation worse for them; God’s people are to be like Him and He is holy.

When the beasts of the field tear another animal up; we are never to feed on its caucus. This statement extends past how to manage living amongst the animal kingdom. How much more does it apply to living among the treacherous people of our world. Let us not be of the world while we are in the world. Let us live holy, as God is holy.

The Hard Roads of Life

The Hard Roads of Life. Exodus 13:17-22.

You might say that our life is a highway and we travel the earth for a short time. The Children of Israel were on the highway out of Egypt and heading towards their freedom. No longer would they be the slaves of Pharaoh, they would be an army of God and take the land that God had given them.

God had given the land to Abraham and in their future they would take it back from others who settled in their land.

The Children of Israel would fight and be victors; however, they did not know how to fight, they only knew how to build. Therefore, God was going to work in their life to toughen them up.

Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 13:17-18(NKJV)

There was two ways to the land promised to Israel; the shortest route was the most dangerous and the longest was rugged. Therefore, God chose to lead them the long way, the tough way, a way that was going to increase their ability and build their character.

Do not feel alone if you question the direction God took you in life. When they gave their life to the Lord, many people thought that everything was going to be wonderful from that time on out. However, they found that life became filled with trials and at times that God seemed distant.

Because God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, He leads us in the way we should go, foreknowing the best direction for us. Yet people are weak, they grow quickly weary, and often do not know what is happening to them; thus, left to our own it is impossible to direct ourselves in the perfect way each and every time.

God sees what we need, what will hurt us, and He allows us at times to go through trials to toughen us up.

The children of Israel were going to face tough times; yet to survive their future, tough times were needed.

And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.” So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. Exodus 13:19-20(NKJV)

The children of Israel were heading in the right direction. It was the long way; but the safe way. Yet in this way there would be challenges and knowing how the story ends, from having completed the book, this way would help them to know and understand God in a very special way.

If we think of God as our father, most people will be able to understand this concept of putting His children through hardships.

The parent that does not challenge their children will lead them into trouble. Life will hurt them, their surroundings will be their teacher, and they will not know God, only survival.

Many parents have placed their job, business, or their enjoyment ahead of leading their children. Their children grow lacking a godly influence in their life and later these parents proclaim their mistakes in regret. However, that is not God way.

Joseph, their ancestor who helped rule the affairs of Egypt knew that his people needed a challenge. He told them that God would one day visit them and that they were to carry his bones back to the Promised Land to be buried.

As the family grew and multiplied, they had no personal knowledge of God and only had the challenge from Joseph. They did not know how they would be released from slavery and they did not know how to relate to God. They only had a promise and a commission to bury Joseph’s bones.

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people. Exodus 13:21-22(NKJV)

We are told by the John that Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This is a declaration from God that God continues to lead His people this day.

For the Children of Israel, God led them away from a conflict with the Philistines; because they were not strong or organized enough to fight them.

God then became a pillar of fire to lead them through the darkness and a cloud to shield them from the heat in the day time.

In our time, God wants us to keep our eyes on Jesus so that we might continue to sanctify our selves before Him; that where He is, one day we might be there also.

As a Christian you are guaranteed a highway of life will be filled with challenges, difficulties, and because of sin in the world, sadness. However, if we keep our eyes on Jesus and the prize of salvation, the journey will be worth it. We will enter the promised land of Heaven.

How to Teach People about God.

How to Teach People about God. Exodus 13:1-16.

The Lord was very gracious in passing over the homes of the Children of Israel. Not so fortunate were those of the Egyptians; they had lost all of their first born children and their flocks experience death too. However, God delivered His people.

The people knew of God, but how to relate to God was beyond them. They all were like the new family that comes into church for the first time. They know there is a God, but what do you do now?

In a church, the most important responsibility is to teach people how to relate to God. I have been to churches that teach their people only to attend all the functions, pot lucks, outings, and other social events. Therefore, their people, when asked about the scriptures, are lost.

People need to not only learn about God, but learn how to teach others about God. This is the first thing on God’s mind when tending to all these people who had just escaped the bondage of Egypt.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.” Exodus 13:1-2(NKJV)

The work consecrate means to sanctify, honor, and dedicate. God wanted the Israelites to know how fortunate they were to have escaped the angel of death and teach them that their obedience made the difference.

Sanctification is what we teach to those who come to church. We teach them that Christ died for our sins and in reverence, we sanctify or dedicate our lives to Him. This is the first lesson taught to a person coming to know about God.

And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. Exodus 13:3(NKJV)

For Israel, God saved them all from slavery in Egypt. Yet in our day, the New Testament writers teach that Egypt is a type of the world and the bondage we faced, in this world, is the bondage to sin. Therefore, we also teach people to reflect back to what Christ saved them from; for the life’s we use to lead would have led to spiritual death.

On this subject I must make one interjection. Each of us had been saved from various sins and where it is wonderful to speak about our salvation, the details of our sin should be spared from the ears of your children. We are training them never to sink to that level and live consecrated to the Lord; therefore, our delight for sin should not be a focus.

On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. Exodus 13:4-5(NKJV)

Repetition and holding an annual observance was top on God’s agenda for His people. This is why Roman Catholic Priests instituted the Christmas and Easter Observances; for creating traditions surrounding the goodness of God is a top priority to God.

Family traditions fit into this same thinking also. Families that have a stable event roster grow together and be it Easter, Christmas, or one a person made special, as long as the family reverences it, it will stand as a lesson for all generations that God is good to us.

In America our founding father instituted a day we call Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate our thankfulness, to God, for leading people to America and providing for our families. This is a most wonderful holiday.

Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘This is done because of what the LORD did for me when I came up from Egypt.’ It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year. Exodus 13:6-10(NKJV)

Teaching your children how terrible sin can be, is as simple as teaching them about leaven. Leaven or yeast causes a whole lump of dough to rise. It can never go back to its original state again.

If the dough is to come into contact with other dough, that dough will rise also. Therefore, they had to sweep the house clean and get rid of all the leaven. They ate unleavened bread for seven days which is the number of perfection.

In this they can teach their children the principle of what it is to live a consecrated life. God wants his people to live without sinning. Though it is impossible to not sin, we can continue to sweep our lives clean of sin and that is essential to consecrating your life or dedicating one’s self to God.

“And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, that you shall set apart to the LORD all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the LORD’s. But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ It shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.” Exodus 13:11-16(NKJV)

The allegories in the scriptures are vast and if we understand this, as we read Exodus a person can learn much about our own life with God. Through allegories, each of us can apply scriptures directly to our lives.

Do you fit the allegory of being a stubborn donkey? Pharaoh did; and so have many who resist God when God was speaking to their hearts. Many people refuse to listen and God will not pull a donkey to Him.

The blood of the lamb could sanctify even a dumb donkey, but if that lamb sacrifice does not cover the dumb donkey, its neck will be broken and it will die.

Three things we learn from this passage; first, consecrate your children to the Lord for the salvation of the Lord is precious.

Second, teach others to sweep the sin from their lives by having traditional remembrances of what salvation means.

Third, even a donkey can be spared and many of us were donkeys.

The Bible is a book for our learning and if we simply follow God’s direction for His people we can survive this earth with its dangers. Let us consecrate our lives daily to our God who loves us.

Exodus, the Book of Redemption.

Exodus, the Book of Redemption. Exodus 1:1-7.

Where the book of Genesis was about the beginnings for the relationship between man and God, Exodus is about God’s redemption of man. In Genesis we saw the creation of man, the fall of man, and the final story contains a man in a coffin. Through Genesis men started to spread out and still God wanted a people for Himself, so He concentrated them through circumstance in Egypt and provided for them so they would grow in number; but much of their relationship with God was lost.

Over four hundred years the Israelites stories of God’s intervention into their father’s lives were not enough to teach them that they too needed a relationship with God. They had knowledge that there was a God and knew they should respect God, but how to live a life that honored and know God was mostly lost.

Though God had provided everything His people needed, they would not personally know the power of God and the credit for their existence would be directed toward Joseph the great Egyptian leader who cared for them.

Several generations of Israelites passed away. Joseph too, would die after making a promise to Israel that God would visit them and he requested they would take his body and bury it in the family plot. Yet, generations of people came and went and though the message passed on, it was also being lost and treated as folklore.

The four hundred years was the same amount of time that is spaced between end of the Old Testament and the New Testament. During this time the same spiritual decline occurred in Israel.

When God is silent, emphasis on godliness diminishes; therefore, as modern Christians, living in a world that does not honor God, we need to continue studying His word; pursuing a relationship with God. We also should teach this to our children; calling on the name of the Lord for His divine intervention into our lives.

When Jesus came to Israel, after four hundred years of silence, His encounters with the religious Jews showed they replaced a relationship with God for rules surrounding the law given to Moses. Their concept of God’s hand to intervene into their daily lives was lost and appeasing a vengeful God was all they knew.

Inside their religious circles, the general population did what they felt would keep them in good standing with the religious leaders. The people were told to love God, but they felt burdened by the society of religious pressure and religious rules spilled over into their commerce.

The people participated in ceremonies and yet the love for God and the loving father side of God was lost. God as a loving father became the main message of Jesus and to get their attention God allowed the miraculous to be displayed before them as Jesus taught the value of relationship.

The world we live in is doing much the same. They are pushing God out of the schools and children are told that there is a God, but are also told everyone calls God by a different name. Religious circles form and religious acts replace having a personal relationship with God.

“Who is God?” and what does He want from us is diminishing from thought. People continue accepting traditions and rules as their forms for godliness; but they lose the concept of keeping a relationship with God.

As we pick up in chapter one of Exodus, we are reintroduced to the players, the families of the children of Jacob. While in Egypt they had grew into a multitude of people.

Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob: Reuben, Simemon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. All those who were descendants of Jacob were seventy persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already). And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Exodus 1:1-7(NKJV)

In this book, written by Moses, we will see that God’s plan continues. Here God is creating a people who will honor Him. They would be an example to the entire world that God is building a kingdom and wants to honor people. However, the criteria remains that they would honor Him as God.

Driven by Circumstance.

Written in Memory of Michael Jackson. 1958-2009

Driven by Circumstance. Genesis 46:1-27.

So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” And he said, “Here I am.” So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.” Genesis 46:1-4(NKJV)

What a great promise from God. Though driven by circumstance, Jacob is given a promise of protection and honoring God he took it.

Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him. His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt. Genesis 46:5-7(NKJV)

The names of the children of Israel are contained in verses 8 through 25 and will be omitted due to space. However, the blessings upon Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, shows the work of God to build this great nation.

As we have studied, Jacob was not always the best father; neither was his father, Isaac. Because of this Jacob raised his own son’s to know of God, yet many strayed away from godliness. Their sins were terrible and at times tragic. Yet God chose to use these men to build the nation Israel.

Let it be a comforting thought; no matter the sin you have committed, God is willing to continue to work in your life for good.

There are those who were raised by parents who sinned against them. These children were mistreated and grow with character flaws which follow them throughout their life. The pain caused by a parent has a ripple effect that transcends generations and some lose their dignity, feeling less than adequate.

Some children grow to make friends with others who sin against themselves. Selecting to change the course of their own life, they follow others into depravity. Still God loves them and is willing to forgive their sin and restore them.

God has His hand in all situations; whether it is tragedy or trauma, God is able to use those events for good. In our passage there is a famine; however, God made a way to escape. In that escape, God continued His work to build the nation of Israel; a nation that would be His people, a nation that would bring forth a Messiah to save the world from sin.

All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy. Genesis 46:26-27(NKJV)

The promise came from God to one man, Abraham. In faith, Abraham declared to his own son that he would be used by God to build this nation. Abraham’s son, Isaac, told his son, Jacob, the same. Jacob could continue to tell His sons of the great work that the Lord was going to do and the message had to be bathed in faith.

Why would God use sinners to build a nation? That is a question that we must bring to our own selves. Why would God want us to be a part of His kingdom? Why would God consider sinners for such a prominent position as to be heirs to eternal inheritance? What have we done to deserve this?

The answer is that we have done nothing. For God so loved the world that He made the plan and built the nation that would bring His only son, Jesus Christ alive to walk among those who would despitefully treat Him and kill Him on a cross.

God knew that people sin. He knew that they would kill Jesus and He knew every sin that you and I would commit. Yet God loved them and God loves us.

These seventy people who entered into Egypt were not perfect, they were not traveling under their own will; they were forced by famine to leave their homeland. To God be the glory, great things He has done.

Daily we experience the sins of others encroaching into our lives. There is violence in our cities, in our schools, and in our homes. The world is far from perfect, but God seeks these to build His kingdom.

Tragedy, loss, pain, and suffering grip our societies and yet God is faithful to place a light before us so that we might see His work and join our lives to it.

For those lives we have studied in this book of Genesis there are many people who have honored God and would walk into Egypt with praise on their lips and faith in their hearts. Their entry would be a wonderful new beginning as they trusted God with the outcome.

However, there were others that entered scarred from their past, hiding the truth, and fearful of God. It is the position of their heart, the choice of their life, and a tough, rocky road they travel.

The same occurs today and to that I must ask, “How are you today? Are you enjoying the road you walk as you enter in to the place God is taking you by circumstance?”

If today you walk through life allowing emotional scars, the encroachment of sin, and hardness towards God to be the road you walk, then it is your choice.

Jesus Christ came to forgive our sins, repair our lives, and help our emotions to heal. You can be free from sin and the scars of the past if you will turn your life towards God and pray, “God forgive me, a sinner. Come into my life and help me to honor you.” This is the first step down the right road and Jesus will come into your heart and lighten your load. It is your choice; make it a good one.

The Baby Wars.

The Baby Wars. Genesis 29:31 – 30:13.

When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. Genesis 29:31(NKJV)

Used as bate, her father tricked Jacob into marrying Leah when Jacob wanted to marry his true love Rachel. The trap netted the father a promise from Jacob to serve him seven more years in exchange for his youngest daughter, Rachel. Jacob would end up with two wives.

The scriptures say that Leah was un-loved; that did not mean Jacob disliked her, nor does it mean she was mistreated. Jacob and her sister were best friends and each found the other fascinating; Jacob and Rachel had true love for each other.

Leah had to take a back seat and was lonely; therefore, God allowed Leah to get pregnant. Yet not only pregnant, the Lord opened her whom and she was going to be a child bearing machine.

In these times great importance was placed on women bearing and raising children. The fascination placed on modern relations is mostly sensual; but the women of this day were measured by the children they could bear to bring their husband honor.

It was the husband’s job to impregnate their wives and a large family made a husband’s esteem. Therefore, Jacob and Leah would have many children. This is the only way large families could grow and surly nations become of them.

So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” Genesis 29:32(NKJV)

Truly the Lord cared for Leah and she was a good wife as she ensured she bore Jacob children; however, she longed for his affection and their relations were not of love, but of obligation.

Leah even selected names that showed her desire with thankfulness to God and her husband. The name Ruben meant “behold a son” and could best be said with an exclamation point, for Leah felt she had done what would please God and Jacob.

Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. Genesis 29:33(NKJV)

It is not known if Leah was vocal about her love for Jacob. Yet the name of this child is Simeon, which means “Heard.” Rachel was heard by God and that was her desire towards her husband; she wanted to be seen as a good wife and heard by Jacob, for Leah wanted to be loved.

She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. Genesis 29:34(NKJV)

In Leah’s mind, the greatness she was bringing to her husband surly was drawing him nearer to her. The times of conception were times she cherished and bearing another child she names it Levi, which means, “Joined to.” Her union with Jacob was joining him to Leah through successful conception; while in the mean time Rachel was barren.

And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing. Genesis 29:35(NKJV)

Once again, Leah has another son, she named Judah. The name means “to be praised” and Leah was thankful for the bountiful blessing of children. She praised God for the opportunity and if Jacob did not lover her now, then she could be happy knowing that she did what was right before the Lord and the Lord heard her cries. Leah was honored by God and she blessed him back.

Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!” And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Genesis 30:1-2(NKJV)

It was very demeaning not to be able to bear children. The fact could not be overlooked that the problem was not with Jacob, it was Rachel; something was wrong with her.

Without technical knowledge of internal organs, people of this age felt that an unfertile woman was cursed by God. She had done something wrong and God was not favoring her. She was marked in society and would carry the unknown reason with shame. With every child birth of Leah, Rachel sunk deeper into despair.

Rachel did have some character flaws. She was not respecting God’s providence. Rachel’s demeanor was not of sorrow, but of anger and envy. She was in competition with Leah and one child was not enough. She demanded from Jacob “children.” And in the same sentence she threatened suicide. With one outburst it showed her heart and Jacob did not like what he saw.

So she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her.” Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. Genesis 30:3-6NKJV)

The baby war had begun. If Rachel could not have children by Jacob, she would adopt the children of her hand maiden. This would give the appearance of having children and the first one she name Dan, which meant “judgment;” and in some wayward logic tried to put God’s approval upon her life.

And Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali. Genesis 30:7-8(NKJV)

Rachel was in a race; yet that is the case with early tribes. So much importance was placed upon raising children to grow their nations that the pressure put on women led to many jealousies. This was the woman’s duty and their cultures demanded it.

When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife. And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, “A troop comes!” So she called his name Gad. And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher. Genesis 30:9-13(NKJV)

Jacob fathered twelve children during this time the women competed for respect. Yet it is terrible that two wonderful sisters could end up hating each other, fighting over a man. Yet this is what happens when we let emotions control us and we settle for our own works, rather than God’s providence in our lives.

The Lord gives and takes away; so let us be content in His work in ourlife.

How to Live a Spiritual Life.

How to Live a Spiritual Life. Genesis 19:27-३६

And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. Genesis 19:27-30(NKJV)

If you have slept well, when you first wake in the morning it is the best time to stand before the Lord and commit yourself to Him that Day. The person who commits this time every day will spiritually grow each day and over time will make a strong Christian.

Here, in the close of this chapter, we find a contrast between two men, Abraham and Lot; one spiritual and one, not so much. In this stark contrast we find how a person respects the Lord makes a difference in their life.

Abraham had a special place that he would go to each day. It had a great view and there he would call upon the name of the Lord. To call upon the name of the Lord is the same as saying, he would pray.

Prayer is important for it allows a person to commit their thoughts, desires, and concerns to the Lord. It becomes an invitation for God to act in your life because God cannot do anything for us unless we are willing.

Now, Christians are taught that we should pray throughout the day and without ceasing; however, morning time comes before the concerns of the day set in and is a time that our minds are uncluttered.

That day, as Abraham prayed, he looked up to see the whole plain burning. Yet the sight of such a great area burning, so close to his area, did not upset Abraham for his confidence was in the Lord. Oh how sweet it is to face trials or the trials of others and know God protects you. It is the most blessed part of the human experience and one only a child of God will know.

Abraham did not know if he lost his closest blood relative, his cousin Lot. Lot chose to live in the land that burned and Lot did not have a strong relationship with God. Lot was that kid who grew up a bit disrespectful and selfish. Yet, Abraham did not lament for he placed his trust in God’s judgment.

Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. Genesis 19:30(NKJV)

Because God honored the prayers of Abraham, angels pulled Lot, his wife, and his two daughters out of Sodom before judgment. They were told to go to the mountains, but argued with the angels that the city or Zoar was better for them. Yet when Lot and his family entered the city, he saw more of the same debauchery and when the fire and brimstone came raining down on the plain it scarred them, so they ran to the mountains as previously instructed.

How terrible it is to run to do things right when fear of God’s wrath is the motivator. This is not the relationship we are to have; one that lives unfaithful and in fear that God will smite you.

All around the world there are Christians like this. They know they are to live righteously, but they love their lifestyle. They come to church to appease God and they weep in repentance. Yet when they return to their lives they succumb to the temptations of sinful pleasure.

It is unfaithfulness; and Lot was unfaithful to do what was right before the Lord. Therefore, in fear he ran to the mountains. In fear he spent his day’s unconfident, distraught, and not knowing the right thing to do. This no way for a person to live; a parent, a child, a husband, or a wife, each should have a relationship with God so they may live in confidence.

Now the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Genesis 19:31-33 (NKJV)

Dysfunction breads dysfunction and what Lot allowed into his life was magnified when he raised children. They had no idea to pray for a husband and they did not know what trusting in the Lord for children was about. Their imaginations were vain and filled with concepts learned from their life in Sodom; much like children learn from today’s television.

In addition, they played to Lot’s weakness, alcohol. The down fall of people around the world and throughout history, alcohol, takes away inhibitions and dulls the senses. Too much alcohol and you end up on your back, at the mercy of your company.

If Lot were smart, he would have learned of the dangers of alcohol from the people of Sodom and forsook it as a substance that lead to their downfall. The miss use of alcohol was one of the contributing factors to the judgment of Sodom.

It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, “Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.” Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. Genesis 19:34-37(NKJV)

Alcohol deteriorates the brain and even when sober, a person judgment can be impaired. Most people, who indulge and pass out, would not go near the substance the next day; however, Lot was back to drinking again the next day, a sign of alcoholism.

Lot played the part of a fool throughout his life. He never got serious with the Lord and even given the opportunity to start over in his life, he went back to his old ways.

The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day. Genesis 19:38-39(NKJV)

The people of Ammon and the Moabites grew as tribes and occupied territories next to Israel. They continued on like their ancestor, Lot, never having spiritual roots in God.

Their people would become burdensome at times to Israel, but they were never enemies. Their lives were of no great accomplishments.

Your future and that of your family is dependent on you having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Daily we must come to God in quietness and have a meaningful prayer time. This chapter was written to show us the difference.