Category Archives: Sin

Abortion, Church / Body of Christ, Discipline / Correction, Greed, Homosexual Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Righteousness / Serving God, Share the Good News, Sin, Temptation/Tempting

Correcting Another Believer; Keeping The Church Holy

The context of Matthew 18 is Jesus teaching about what it means to be great in the kingdom of heaven. One aspect identified early in this chapter is that someone who is great helps God’s children to follow and serve God properly. To lead them into temptation has dire consequences. In Matthew 18:15-18, Jesus provides clear guidance on how to correct another believer who sins against you.

15 “If another believer[d] sins against you,[e] go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid[f] on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit[g] on earth will be permitted in heaven.

First and foremost we must recognize that Jesus is telling us to confront other believers who are sinning. He specifically identifies believers… we need to respond to non-believers in a different way to be effective in engaging them for Christ. We do conduct ourselves in a way that gathers attention to ourselves, but in a way that tries to show others the proper way to conduct themselves as a member of the church, which is to say a follower of Jesus. We are to start privately, then in a small group, and escalate from there.

Verses 17 and 18 indicate that Jesus gives some amount of authority or credibility to represent Him to those who are more mature in their relationship with God such as leaders amongst the believers in the church. Verse 18 is directed at the disciples specifically.

We must next recognize that Jesus is instructing us as a body of believers not to accept the sin of those who refuse to repent. If someone is sinning openly and unrepentantly, they are acting like and should be treated like pagans rather than believers.

Many today say this is too harsh and we need to be more inclusive and seek to avoid hurting people’s feelings about their sin. Their argument is with Jesus Christ himself. The scripture does not say we are to hurt or reject the sinners, but rather treat them as the unrepentant sinner they are… which is essentially similar to a pagan or corrupt person. We can still show love, but should not treat them the same way that we do genuine believers who seek and submit to God.

Why? Remember the context of the earlier verses in chapter 18. God is talking about leading His children into sin and temptation. When we as a church put man’s desire to be inclusive of those openly sinning against God above God’s desire to set apart the body of believers as holy we quite simply confuse people as to what it means to be a follower of Christ.  It gives the appearance that the unrepentant sin behavior is endorsed and accepted by the body of Christ. This leads to more and more people accepting and participating in the sin and then expands to include more and more sins. Eventually the body of people in the church looks like a direct reflection of the broader culture instead of reflecting God.

We can see clear evidence of this within the U.S.A. today. Many claim to be Christian, going to church on Sunday, but choose which of God’s instructions they will or will not follow. Often many end up directly contradicting God with their behavior and efforts to influence others. Consider examples such as people who identify as Christian but support killing unborn babies for convenience, people who accept homosexual behavior rather than helping others over come it, many gossip and are mean spirited toward others, others are driven by greed seeking money and possessions as their primary goal in life that drives their behavior, and so on.

It is not that all sinners should be separated from the church… there would be no one left because we are all sinners. The point Jesus is making focuses on unrepentant sinners who openly reject God’s teaching while claiming to be followers of God.

Let each of us seek God’s help to open our eyes to areas where we sin and are at risk of leading others astray when our behaviors and attitude do not match with God’s instruction. Further, pray God gives us each fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in our lives that can help us to identify these areas in ourselves as well. Lastly, pray that God would give you the courage and inspiration to help others by confronting them when they are sinning.

God wants us to help each other to live in righteousness as a holy people set aside to serve and honor our creator.

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Am I on the path?, Children, Consequences of Sin, Heaven and Hell, Humility, Righteousness / Serving God, Sin, Temptation/Tempting

Who Is The Greatest In The Kingdom Of Heaven?

Many of us in the world seek greatness. Often what is most telling is what is put forth as the standard against which to measure greatness. Jesus addresses this subject in Matthew 18:1-10.

18 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf[a] is welcoming me. 6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. 8 So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.[b]

10 “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

Where does greatness begin, according to Jesus?

  • Turn from our sin. To turn from our sin does not mean we live sinless lives… but it does mean we strive to. It is a journey away from our sin nature and toward God’s holy standard. We are not to accept and dwell in our sin.
  • Be humble, as a small child. If we are arrogant instead of humble we likely start to think we deserve heaven… we have earned it because we are better than others. We also start to treat others differently, and not in a good way. On the other hand, when we realize that we are not good enough and it is only through God’s grace that we are saved, then we become humble. When we are humble, we treat people, even sinners or those who disagree with us, with love and compassion and not with contempt.
  • Recognize how our actions and words can lift someone up and lead them to Christ or cause them to stumble. We are accountable to God for helping or stumbling others in their spiritual journey.
  • Those who tempt others to sin and reject God will be held accountable and it will be bad for them. Rather than tempt people to sin by rationalizing sinful behavior, always look for ways to encourage others in living in a way that honors and obeys God.
  • There is most certainly life after death and what we do in this life directly has consequences on our life after death.

Jesus’ definition of greatness is very different from the world. The world tempts us to define great as those who get fame, power, money while basically serving themselves. Jesus calls us to turn from sin, be humble, and be seek to help others in their journey to know God and live His way rather than tempt them to live however they want to live, rationalizing sin and ignoring or rejecting God in the process.

Take a few moments to reflect for yourself and your family:

  •  How do you measure up to this standard of greatness? What changes do you want to make personally?
  • Whose standard of greatness do you use to identify your role models and heroes? God’s standard or the world’s standard? Should you change who you consider role models?

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Humility, Peace / Rest, Revenge, Righteousness / Serving God

Bless Those Who Persecute You

Romans 12:14-21 provides guidance that is clearly contrary to worldly teaching and thought, but it is common for the ways of the righteous to be very different from those of the worldly.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
    I will pay them back,”[g]
    says the Lord.

20 Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
    If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
    burning coals of shame on their heads.”[h]

21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

The opening verse is perhaps the most challenging.  To pray that God would bless your enemies is difficult to grasp. This does not mean that you pray for God to help you destroy you or for God to help them with their ungodly plans. Rather, pray that God would bless them by revealing Himself to them and showing them the path of righteousness and salvation. I have found it helpful in my life to consciously choose to respond this way in situations where my sin nature would rather curse someone and ask God to defeat them outright. Praying for them actually helps me get my mind and spirit right with God.

This scripture also calls for humility in understanding we do not have all the answers. We should not think more highly of ourselves than others. Seek to live in peace and harmony with others. Enjoy the company of “ordinary people”.

There is a strong directive to avoid seeking revenge. Revenge is not just an act, but a mind set in committing an act. It is not seeking true justice or to simply stop evil or to protect others but rather, filled with bitterness, revenge seeks to harm others rather than forgive.

We are then actually called to give food and water to our enemies in need. This shows God’s love for them, through us, and also has a side effect to “heap burning coals of shame on their head”. When the situation allows us to be gracious and show love for our enemies it can be powerful testimony for God.

It is worth noting, however, nowhere in this scripture does it say “let your enemies defeat you”. At times we do need to defend ourselves depending on the nature of the enemy and the urgency of the threat.  We should, however, seek to maintain an attitude of love for our enemies and pray for them.

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Blessed, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Family, Greed, Lying / Deceiving, Marriage, Parenting

God’s Blessing Passed to Jacob By Deception?

Genesis 27:1-45 can be difficult to fully understand when you first read it. We must wrestle with issues such as “Why does God allow Isaac’s blessing to go to Jacob through deception and trickery?”

To understand the context properly we should remember what we read in Genesis 25. Esau showed contempt for his rights as first born and traded them willingly to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Then in Genesis 26, Esau continues straying from God by marrying two Hittite wives. The Hittite people had detestable practices involved in their pagan worship. It would appear that Esau rejected God willingly and thus in that context it becomes easier to understand why God passed the blessing on to Jacob.

27 One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for Esau, his older son, and said, “My son.”

“Yes, Father?” Esau replied.

2 “I am an old man now,” Isaac said, “and I don’t know when I may die. 3 Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare my favorite dish, and bring it here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you, my firstborn son, before I die.”

5 But Rebekah overheard what Isaac had said to his son Esau. So when Esau left to hunt for the wild game, 6 she said to her son Jacob, “Listen. I overheard your father say to Esau, 7 ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare me a delicious meal. Then I will bless you in the Lord’s presence before I die.’ 8 Now, my son, listen to me. Do exactly as I tell you. 9 Go out to the flocks, and bring me two fine young goats. I’ll use them to prepare your father’s favorite dish. 10 Then take the food to your father so he can eat it and bless you before he dies.”

11 “But look,” Jacob replied to Rebekah, “my brother, Esau, is a hairy man, and my skin is smooth. 12 What if my father touches me? He’ll see that I’m trying to trick him, and then he’ll curse me instead of blessing me.”

13 But his mother replied, “Then let the curse fall on me, my son! Just do what I tell you. Go out and get the goats for me!”

14 So Jacob went out and got the young goats for his mother. Rebekah took them and prepared a delicious meal, just the way Isaac liked it. 15 Then she took Esau’s favorite clothes, which were there in the house, and gave them to her younger son, Jacob. 16 She covered his arms and the smooth part of his neck with the skin of the young goats. 17 Then she gave Jacob the delicious meal, including freshly baked bread.

18 So Jacob took the food to his father. “My father?” he said.

“Yes, my son,” Isaac answered. “Who are you—Esau or Jacob?”

19 Jacob replied, “It’s Esau, your firstborn son. I’ve done as you told me. Here is the wild game. Now sit up and eat it so you can give me your blessing.”

20 Isaac asked, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?”

“The Lord your God put it in my path!” Jacob replied.

21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you and make sure that you really are Esau.” 22 So Jacob went closer to his father, and Isaac touched him. “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s,” Isaac said. 23 But he did not recognize Jacob, because Jacob’s hands felt hairy just like Esau’s. So Isaac prepared to bless Jacob. 24 “But are you really my son Esau?” he asked.

“Yes, I am,” Jacob replied.

25 Then Isaac said, “Now, my son, bring me the wild game. Let me eat it, and then I will give you my blessing.” So Jacob took the food to his father, and Isaac ate it. He also drank the wine that Jacob served him. 26 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come a little closer and kiss me, my son.”

27 So Jacob went over and kissed him. And when Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he was finally convinced, and he blessed his son. He said, “Ah! The smell of my son is like the smell of the outdoors, which the Lord has blessed!

28 “From the dew of heaven
    and the richness of the earth,
may God always give you abundant harvests of grain
    and bountiful new wine.
29 May many nations become your servants,
    and may they bow down to you.
May you be the master over your brothers,
    and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
All who curse you will be cursed,
    and all who bless you will be blessed.”

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and almost before Jacob had left his father, Esau returned from his hunt. 31 Esau prepared a delicious meal and brought it to his father. Then he said, “Sit up, my father, and eat my wild game so you can give me your blessing.”

32 But Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”

Esau replied, “It’s your son, your firstborn son, Esau.”

33 Isaac began to tremble uncontrollably and said, “Then who just served me wild game? I have already eaten it, and I blessed him just before you came. And yes, that blessing must stand!”

34 When Esau heard his father’s words, he let out a loud and bitter cry. “Oh my father, what about me? Bless me, too!” he begged.

35 But Isaac said, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing.”

36 Esau exclaimed, “No wonder his name is Jacob, for now he has cheated me twice.[a] First he took my rights as the firstborn, and now he has stolen my blessing. Oh, haven’t you saved even one blessing for me?”

37 Isaac said to Esau, “I have made Jacob your master and have declared that all his brothers will be his servants. I have guaranteed him an abundance of grain and wine—what is left for me to give you, my son?”

38 Esau pleaded, “But do you have only one blessing? Oh my father, bless me, too!” Then Esau broke down and wept.

39 Finally, his father, Isaac, said to him,

“You will live away from the richness of the earth,
    and away from the dew of the heaven above.
40 You will live by your sword,
    and you will serve your brother.
But when you decide to break free,
    you will shake his yoke from your neck.”

41 From that time on, Esau hated Jacob because their father had given Jacob the blessing. And Esau began to scheme: “I will soon be mourning my father’s death. Then I will kill my brother, Jacob.”

42 But Rebekah heard about Esau’s plans. So she sent for Jacob and told him, “Listen, Esau is consoling himself by plotting to kill you. 43 So listen carefully, my son. Get ready and flee to my brother, Laban, in Haran. 44 Stay there with him until your brother cools off. 45 When he calms down and forgets what you have done to him, I will send for you to come back. Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

Several key points in this scripture:

  • Isaac and Rebekah had created a troubled family environment where each had a favorite rather than all working together. This approach had negative consequences.
  • Esau appears to have rejected God before losing his blessing to Jacob. Jacob does not get the blessing by “fooling God”.
  • Esau does not take responsibility for giving away his birthright but rather blames Jacob. Without accepting responsibility there can be no repentance.  In fact, Esau plots to kill Jacob.
  • Jacob receives God’s blessing, but still has to accept the consequences for his actions including breaking apart his own family to the point where his brother wants to kill him.
  • All involved in the scripture put great importance in the blessing of Isaac for His son.

As we will see tomorrow as we continue Genesis 27, the family is broken apart by this deception and infighting and Jacob leaves.

Each of us should focus on creating a loving family environment where siblings are not singled out by parents as favorites but rather all work together to serve God and the family. Respect and celebrate differences as we celebrate the body of Christ. Yes our children are different. Praise God! Each has different gifts and abilities and we can complement each other to create a family that is greater than the sum of the individuals.

Receiving blessing from God is important. Seek that humbly in prayer and submission of our will to God’s will.

Do not be emboldened to choose deception because it appears to work in Jacob’s favor to get the blessing in this scripture. God allowed the blessing of Isaac to go to Jacob.  God was not fooled. There are also consequences Jacob must face, starting with leaving his family and then in Genesis 29 Jacob is deceived by Laban in a significant manner that seems just given Jacob’s deception.

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Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Righteousness / Serving God

Faith Is The Confidence That What We Hope For Will Happen

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Hebrews 11 provides a wonderful summary of great examples of faith in God and faith that what He tells us is trustworthy and true. Faith in God should not be confused or misrepresented as a “blind faith”, but rather faith supported by the overwhelming evidence around us… in creation itself… in the authenticity and timeless relevance of the Bible… in the study of historical events including the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

11 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.”[a] For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed[b] that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”[c] 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

20 It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.

21 It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.

22 It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.

23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.

29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.

30 It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.

31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32 How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their loved ones back again from death.

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half,[d] and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

Verse 3 highlights that by faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.  The more we learn about the universe them more it provides evidence for its creation by God. 

Based on observable evidence, credible  scientists virtually all agree that the universe had a beginning. It is not eternal. Basic laws and logic which are foundational to all science require that the law of causality is true. Said more simply, all “effects” must have a “cause”. Everything that has a beginning is an effect that requires a cause. Additionally, something that does not exist can not create itself. Thus we see fundamental laws of logic and science require a supernatural cause (in this case God as creator) that created the universe. Evidence leads to God.

Many argue against God because they can not “see” Him. I can not see gravity, but I recognize and accept it is real based on the evidence. When I look my car, I can not see the person who invented the first car or the person who designed or built my car… but I know from the evidence that someone designed and built my car.

Others argue that God is not real because they do not understand His reasoning for aspects of creation (e.g. “Why is there suffering?). I do not understand aerodynamics but I can not deny that evidence supports that planes fly.

We are not asked to have blind faith… but rather faith based in evidence… faith in God as revealed through scripture and the life of Jesus Christ and through creation itself. When we live our lives filled with faith in God we are able to submit to and serve Him even when we do not understand all the details. In many cases, we will not even see the end result of our faith… like ripples on a pond that go far out of our limited sight. But we can trust that God uses our faith to His glory!

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Character of God, Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, Hearing from God, Money / Finances / Wealth, Obeying God, Peace / Rest, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Righteousness / Serving God, Suffering / Adversity, Thankfulness

Responding To Hostility

We continue in Genesis 26:12-25, after Abimelech, the King of the Philistines, has issued a proclamation to protect Isaac’s wife, Rebekah. Isaac was living in Philistine land. Jealousy of others toward the success of Isaac (due to God’s blessing) drives conflict which ultimately leads to Isaac’s departure from the area.

12 When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. 13 He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. 14 He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him. 15 So the Philistines filled up all of Isaac’s wells with dirt. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham.

16 Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too powerful for us.”

17 So Isaac moved away to the Gerar Valley, where he set up their tents and settled down. 18 He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham’s death. Isaac also restored the names Abraham had given them.

19 Isaac’s servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water. 20 But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. “This is our water,” they said, and they argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means “argument”). 21 Isaac’s men then dug another well, but again there was a dispute over it. So Isaac named it Sitnah (which means “hostility”). 22 Abandoning that one, Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it, so Isaac named the place Rehoboth (which means “open space”), for he said, “At last the Lord has created enough space for us to prosper in this land.”

23 From there Isaac moved to Beersheba, 24 where the Lord appeared to him on the night of his arrival. “I am the God of your father, Abraham,” he said. “Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you. I will multiply your descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will do this because of my promise to Abraham, my servant.” 25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. He set up his camp at that place, and his servants dug another well.

We see that human nature has not changed in thousands of years. When we experience God’s blessing and succeed, fools will look to  harm to us out of jealousy. The wise will instead seek to understand how we have prospered so they can learn and replicate it. Abimelech becomes concerned by Isaac’s great wealth and commands him to leave.

Isaac respected Abimelech’s authority and relocated to where Abraham had previously settled. When he dug wells he was met with more adversity and hostility from those nearby who challenged his rights to the water there. Isaac avoided conflict again… and again… and eventually found open space. He gave glory to God. He was not complaining about all the hostility he faced but rather thanking God for providing space for him to occupy.

Later God revealed Himself to Isaac at Beersheba and affirmed the promise to Isaac that was first given to Abraham. Isaac responded by building an altar and worshipping God.

I have a lot of respect for Isaac in that He did not try to react in this situation to hostility with violence. He sought open space to peacefully flourish and God granted it to him. While there are times when it is appropriate to fight, as Abraham demonstrated in Genesis 14,  Isaac demonstrates that there are times when the best response is a peaceful one. In this case Isaac was in someone else’s land under Abimelech and then moving into land near where others already occupied. He avoided a conqueror mentality in both cases. With his great wealth it is reasonable to conclude he could have mustered a significant fighting force. Else, why would Abimelech have been concerned?

God provides many examples in scripture where fighting is appropriate and others where a peaceful solution is best. We should be careful not to gravitate to easily toward a one-size-fits-all  solution of violence or peace and try to fit it to every situation. Instead, we should study God’s word and seek Him in prayer for wisdom in how to respond to adversity and threats in our lives as individuals, families, and nations.

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Discerning / Judging, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, False Prophets / Teachers, Miracles, Parables, Wickedness / Evil

Beware The Yeast of The Pharisees and Sadducees

Matthew 16:5-12 continues after the Pharisees and Sadducees just demanded a miraculous sign from Jesus (again) to prove His authority in verses 1-4. Jesus pointed out that their motivation is evil and they had more than enough evidence in front of them to see He is from heaven but they refuse to acknowledge it.

Following that encounter, Jesus warns His disciples about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

5 Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

7 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 8 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? 9 Don’t you understand even yet? Don’t you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? 10 Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? 11 Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”

12 Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Jesus once again uses a comparison of something his disciples are familiar with to demonstrate an important element of kingdom truth. Jesus compares of false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees to yeast in bread. Just as a little yeast can change the character of the whole loaf of bread so too can even a little false teaching change how we understand the character of our worship and obedience to God. We must be careful to avoid any false teaching and avoid making excuses to accept “a little” false teaching.

If we are unsure of whether or not something is correct or false we are not called to just accept it because someone else said it was so, but rather study scripture and seek God in prayer to determine what is true and verify what we were told.

As a side note, I can easily identify with the disciples… starting to argue about who forgot the bread. All to often even those who genuinely love Jesus and desire to serve Him can miss the point or get distracted by events around them. Jesus is gracious enough to redirect us and get us back on track and focused… if we are submitted to Him and listening to Him.

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Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua

Show Me A Sign To Prove Your Authority

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Jesus performed many miraculous signs throughout His earthly ministry, the most miraculous being His death and resurrection. Some saw and believed in Him as God and some rejected Him, despite the evidence they themselves witnessed.

In Matthew 12:38-45, we saw Jesus cast out demons only to be accused of being prince of demons and then immediately after that He is asked to show a miraculous sign. It is almost unbelievable that some are so convinced in their unbelief that they are not open to objectively evaluating the case for Christ, even when He Himself was right in front of them.

In Matthew 16:1-4, we see that the Pharisees and Sadducees once again come to demand a sign from Jesus. They have thus far ignored or attacked Him for every other miracle He has performed… but now they demand another.

16 One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

2 He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; 3 red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times![a] 4 Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.[b]” Then Jesus left them and went away.

Jesus points out that they are smart enough to assess signs around them and draw correct conclusions. He gives an example regarding weather patterns. But then He rebukes them for not interpreting the signs and miracles He is performing all around them. His next comment about an evil and adulterous generation is likely specific to the Pharisees and Sadducees demanding a sign as they ignore the ones He  provided or worse, attack Him for the signs and miracles He has already given. Bottom line is that they are choosing to reject Jesus as God, despite the evidence.

Jesus once again, as He did in Matthew 12, points to the sign of Jonah, which represents His death and resurrection… a miraculous and publicly witnessed and well documented event.

Whether 2000 years ago or today… Jesus has provided and documented for us many signs for us to look to for evidence. Why do so many quickly reject the signs He provided only to ask God to give them a sign?

Each of us should reflect periodically on the following questions.

  • Do I really accept Jesus as God?
  • If not, why not? What is holding me back?
  • If so, does my life reflect that through my actions, thoughts, and priorities reflected by how I spend time and money and how I treat people? Be careful not to measure yourself against what others are doing or say you should be doing. The correct measuring stick is to compare ourselves to what God says we should be doing and the example Jesus set in His earthly ministry.
  • Are you still looking for a sign before you fully commit? Have you devoted time to really studying God’s word and other historical evidence to evaluate the signs He already provided?

To get a quick start on studying, please visit our Study the Word  section of our website for recommended resources, many of which are available online for free.

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Children, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Family, Parenting, Righteousness / Serving God

“What Good Is My Birthright To Me Now?

We see in Genesis 25:27-34 some of the damage inflicted within a family when parents fail. Isaac and Rebekah chose favorites, perhaps unintentionally, but favorites none the less. When parents do this it creates a significant divide within the family instead of uniting the family together. Instead, as parents, we are to love each child for the unique gifts and personality God has given them… following the example of our Creator, who loves each of us despite our differences.

27 As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)

31 “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”

32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”

33 But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.

As we continue to read in scripture we will later read in Genesis 27 how Jacob tricks Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for Esau. However, we see clearly in Genesis 25 that Esau showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn and agreed foolishly to give them to Isaac in trade for… yes… one bowl of stew.

There is much we could discuss about the dysfunctional behavior of both Isaac and Esau within this family… and Isaac and Rebekah as well. It is disappointing to see the grandchildren  of Abraham acting so poorly and acting so clearly on their internal sin nature instead of turning to God and following His instruction.

It is a clear reminder for each of us to focus as parents on the importance of following God’s instruction and example in loving and raising our children. We must actively seek God and parent well. Children will not raise themselves in a godly manner. Sometimes parenting can be a very difficult task to do in a righteous and thorough manner. It is not for the lazy or faint of heart.

Join me in praying for Christian parents around the world to raise their children in a righteous manner and help lead them to God. If you are a parent or grandparent,  seek ways you can help raise the next generations. There are many in the world who will try to lead them astray and they must be well rooted in the Bible and in Jesus Christ as the only path to knowing God.

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Abortion, Children, Family, Hearing from God, Interceding for Others, Prophecy

God Answers Isaac’s Prayer With Esau and Jacob

We see in Genesis 25:19-26 Isaac coming before God in prayer, asking for help on Rebekah’s behalf so that she could have children. This scripture takes place after 20 years of marriage in which they have not been able to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer.

19 This is the account of the family of Isaac, the son of Abraham. 20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.

21 Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. 22 But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked.

23 And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”

24 And when the time came to give birth, Rebekah discovered that she did indeed have twins! 25 The first one was very red at birth and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. So they named him Esau.[b] 26 Then the other twin was born with his hand grasping Esau’s heel. So they named him Jacob.[c] Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

In addition to answering Isaac’s prayer, God also answers Rebekah when she calls upon Him. His answer is significant. While the children are still unborn, still in Rebekah’s womb, God shares the future that will unfold for these two children. We should note that this is one of many instances throughout the Bible in which God tells His people accurately in advance what will in the future come to pass.

Implicit in this exchange with God is the recognition that the babies are in fact people… are in fact alive… before they are born. While this seems obvious to many of us, it stands in stark contrast to the worldly message that promotes abortion, the murder of unborn children in their mother’s wombs for the convenience of the mother.

God did not say to Rebekah… “Wait until they are born to see if they are people and then we can talk about their lives.” Of course not!

Children are alive from the moment of conception, before the mother is typically even aware she is pregnant. From then on it is a life, independent and created in the image of God and not to be dismissed.

For those who have supported or participated in abortion, you should not stay in denial, trying to justify the mistake, but rather seek forgiveness before God and repent wholeheartedly. Our God is big enough to forgive our sins if we repent and submit to Him! Help others to make the right choice.

For more information regarding counseling or programs to help stop abortion, click the following link.

http://hearingfromjesus.org/resources/crisis-help-abortion/

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