Bitterness / Resentment, Children, Consequences of Sin, Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, Evidence in Scripture, Family, Love

Doing It Our Way Instead of God’s Way… What A Mess!

Genesis 30:1-24 continues to show us the depth of consequences for doing things our way instead of God’s way. Jacob, who intentionally tricked and deceived his father Isaac, was later intentionally tricked and deceived by his uncle Laban and now finds himself married to two women, one of which he does not love. God has granted Leah several sons because she was unloved by her husband and given Rachel none.

30 When Rachel saw that she wasn’t having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

2 Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!”

3 Then Rachel told him, “Take my maid, Bilhah, and sleep with her. She will bear children for me,[a] and through her I can have a family, too.” 4 So Rachel gave her servant, Bilhah, to Jacob as a wife, and he slept with her. 5 Bilhah became pregnant and presented him with a son. 6 Rachel named him Dan,[b] for she said, “God has vindicated me! He has heard my request and given me a son.” 7 Then Bilhah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel named him Naphtali,[c] for she said, “I have struggled hard with my sister, and I’m winning!”

9 Meanwhile, Leah realized that she wasn’t getting pregnant anymore, so she took her servant, Zilpah, and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Soon Zilpah presented him with a son. 11 Leah named him Gad,[d] for she said, “How fortunate I am!” 12 Then Zilpah gave Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah named him Asher,[e] for she said, “What joy is mine! Now the other women will celebrate with me.”

14 One day during the wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrakes growing in a field and brought them to his mother, Leah. Rachel begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 But Leah angrily replied, “Wasn’t it enough that you stole my husband? Now will you steal my son’s mandrakes, too?”

Rachel answered, “I will let Jacob sleep with you tonight if you give me some of the mandrakes.”

16 So that evening, as Jacob was coming home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. “You must come and sleep with me tonight!” she said. “I have paid for you with some mandrakes that my son found.” So that night he slept with Leah. 17 And God answered Leah’s prayers. She became pregnant again and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. 18 She named him Issachar,[f] for she said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband as a wife.” 19 Then Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. 20 She named him Zebulun,[g] for she said, “God has given me a good reward. Now my husband will treat me with respect, for I have given him six sons.” 21 Later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed my disgrace,” she said. 24 And she named him Joseph,[h] for she said, “May the Lord add yet another son to my family.”

The first observation I will make is this… what a mess! Surely the scriptures must be true. If someone were willing to change them they would have started by removing the family failures like this one which reflects poorly on Isaac and Jacob. It reflects poorly on Isaac because he raised Jacob and Esau in a family environment where each parent clearly had their favorite child and was content to let the other be loved less or not at all. Thus that sin and failure became part of Jacob’s “inheritance” and he continued it into his family by failing to love his wife, Leah. He clearly embraced Rachel as his favorite.

How could doing things God’s way have helped avert this situation?

  • God intended marriage to be between one man and one woman, not a man and several women. Man can not properly demonstrate love to more than one woman and perhaps even if he could, even the appearance of favorites leads to jealousy, bitterness and division.
  • Jacob having married Leah, should have loved her. Love is not just an emotion, it is conscious act of will as outlined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
  • Jacob surely must have known or had the opportunity to know  the bitterness between Rachel and Leah, yet he did nothing as the leader of his household to resolve it. He was not dwelling with understanding with his wives as called for in 1 Peter 3:7.  (7You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. )
  • When Jacob was confronted directly by Rachel, he still did not turn to God in prayer or insert himself more deeply into the situation between Rachel and Leah. He basically dismissed Rachel in anger as shown in verse 2. (2 Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!”) What would have happened if Jacob would have listened to Rachel, repented and asked God for help, changing his own behaviors to do things God’s way?
  • There were still yet other opportunities to avert total family meltdown… either Rachel or Leah could have returned good for evil and just smothered the other in kindness and grace as called for in 1 Peter 3:9. (8To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.) Though this verse is intended in context for husband and wife, a similar approach helps between any two people.

Instead of doing things God’s way, they continued to fight and scheme, trying to “win” by doing things their own way. This is clearly a failure of Jacob as leader of the family and we will see this failure continue on into how his sons treat Joseph, who becomes his favorite.

Both Rachel and Leah propose… and Jacob agrees… that Jacob sleep with their maids. The sinful failures of the father continue to the next generation. Abraham and Sarah already went down this road earlier in Genesis and it did not end well. They chose to “help” God provide a son for Abraham through Sarah’s maid. If they made any attempt to share this mistake and its implications with their children, it is not evident. Isaac witnessed the failure through tension within the family regarding Ishmael. Jacob knew of Ishmael… in fact his brother, Esau, went to visit Ishmael at one point. None the less, Jacob and his wives fail and have children through their maid servants… once again doing things their way instead of God’s way.

There are no number of sons that can be had to end this bitterness as having children is not the root of the issue. The root is Jacob’s failure to love Leah and Rachel both. It is their failure to live God’s way.

We clearly see demonstrated that there are natural consequences for our sin and failures when we do things our own way, even if we have God’s blessing as Jacob had.

Each of us should seek to know God’s ways and follow them. When we are faced with trials, we should seek answers in His word and in prayer. Do things God’s way, not our own.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Character of God, Compassion, Miracles, Righteousness / Serving God

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men And They Follow Him

How appropriate, that after teaching His disciples that true leadership is demonstrated by serving others, Jesus stops along His journey to heal two blind men in Matthew 20:29-34. Let us never take for granted the inspiring and life changing miracles Jesus performed even while just traveling between two locations. He was busy, He had places to go and people to see as it were… but He listened for and had compassion for those who cried out to Him for help while He passes by. He took time to stop what He was doing and meet their needs.

29 As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.

But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

Once again, we see an example of the crowd… the majority… being wrong. Even in this simple example, the ways of men tried to quiet down the people in need so they would not be a distraction to the event. How clearly this reveals that they did not truly understand Jesus. Jesus takes this opportunity to stop what He is doing and with compassion heal the two men who were calling out for His help. I am glad for those men that they were not discouraged to call out to Jesus, but instead only called out louder.

How often do we tell ourselves we are too busy to notice or stop and help someone who is in need… crying out for help? “Maybe when I have more time.“, we say. “Surely someone else will help them.” While I am subject to fail in this regard as do most of us, I strive to do better to notice and respond to the needs of those around us. I am not content to say I am “good enough” and will help when I have more time. I want to follow Jesus’ example and help when people need it and call out for it, not just when it is convenient to me.

It is almost easy to miss the fact that the two men followed Jesus. The miracle, performed to change their lives when they were in need of help and unable to help themselves led them to Jesus… and they followed Him.

While I do not know what it is like to be physically blind, I have a clear picture of what it is like to be spiritually blind. For most of my first 25 years I did not know or understand the ways of God clearly or correctly. In the words of the inspiring song, Amazing Grace… I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind but now I see. It is indeed through the grace of God that my eyes have been opened. I can not even say that I was seeking it, but rather I was comfortable in the teachings of the church in which I was raised… go to church on Sunday, no need for the Bible, live your life according to the ways taught you by your parents and grandparents before them. In my case this amounted to … “be good”, “do what’s right”, but no clear definition of what that meant or how to seek it out in scripture. I was lost. Praise God that now I am found.

The more God reveals to me, the more He allows me to see clearly, them more passionately I want to follow Him, to submit to Him, and to proclaim Him! He gave me sight (spiritually) and I now follow Him as the two blind men in this scripture in Matthew.

I pray you would never grow complacent in your relationship with Jesus. I challenge you to seek to know, love, and serve God more every day, every year of your life. This takes conscious effort and time and it means God must be a priority in your life, not something to do for an hour on Sunday and call it done for the week.

On our journey to know, love, and serve God… just as on any journey… once you feel you have arrived, that is as far as you will ever go. We must recognize that we should be avidly seeking Him more as long as we live. If we can not recognize change in our walk with Him over time, than likely we are no longer walking with Him, but rather we have stopped somewhere along the journey to rest… perhaps without even realizing it. When we see this, we must get up and follow Him again, continue on the path.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Parenting, Righteousness / Serving God, Suffering / Adversity

A True Christian Leader Must Be A Servant

Matthew 20:20-28 continues directly after Jesus has once again predicted His death and resurrection. With this in mind, the words of the mother of James and John exchanges with Jesus should not be taken lightly. She may not know what she is asking, but she clearly does not expect the road to be a care free one for her sons given what Jesus has just said about His own impending suffering.

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The mother of James and John may not have understood how greatness is defined in the kingdom of heaven… it is almost contradictory to say we will be a servant of all just to sit in power and authority by Jesus. Instead we should be motivated to follow the example of Jesus and focus on serving others. However, the mother clearly wants her boys to be with Jesus, even if the path is difficult and filled with suffering. I give her lots of credit for that. As parents, it is important to support and direct our children to Jesus.

Note that although Jesus submits to the Father’s will as to who will sit on his right and left, He clearly accepts the offer of their service and confirms that the road will be difficult… “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup.”

There is not surprisingly a bit of a ruckus as the  other disciples hear about this request. Jesus settles them down by clearly defining the difference between worldly leaders who flaunt their authority and demand to be supported by the people, taking what they want and the follower of Christ who wants to be great… wants to be a leader.

“26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus did not just say this… He lived it! God Himself became man… and a humble man at that rather than one characterized by great wealth and worldly power. His life, ministry, and death were all acts of service to those whom He leads. What a glorious example of how God wants our leaders to behave… really all of us to behave.

For those of us who have an opportunity to influence who is selected for leadership roles in community, region, or country… we must take it seriously. Do not vote or support someone based on what they will give you or whatever group of people you identify with, for even the pagans do that. Instead look for someone of godly character who will truly be a servant leader in the model of Jesus Christ.

For those of us who already have ungodly leaders in power, pray. Pray for them to lose their spiritual blindness and see Jesus Christ clearly in all His glory. Pray they would repent and then prosper in the Lord.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Consequences of Sin, Courage / Fear, Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Obeying God, Salvation, Selfishness, Suffering / Adversity

Jesus Predicts His Death And Resurrection – He Went Willingly

As we read on in Matthew 20:17-19 we see where Jesus once again predicts and warns his disciples that He will be killed but that He will rise again on the third day. Jesus wanted His disciples to be prepared for this important event. He wanted them to understand it as best they could so they could respond properly and recognize too that Jesus went willingly… He was not defeated or trapped or fooled.

To evaluate the full context, let us revisit some of the prior warnings or predictions Jesus shared with His disciples about His upcoming death and resurrection.

Matthew 16:21-28

21 From then on Jesus[j] began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.

22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him[k] for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?[l] Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

Matthew 17:22-23

22 After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. 23 He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

Matthew 20:17-19

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man[b] will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans[c] to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

I find it telling that as you progress through time with Jesus’ communication of His death and resurrection to His disciples, you can see they may not understand fully but are starting to accept it. When first it was shared, Peter reacted in denial and took Jesus aside to reprimand Him. Before we give Peter a hard time for it, let’s consider how often we do this in our lives as well… “I can’t believe you let that person die from cancer, God.” or lose a job and so on. Jesus quickly rebuked Peter in telling him that he was too focused on the ways of man rather than the ways of God. Most of us are as well. Jesus reminds us we cannot be selfish and hold on to our own life tightly and serve God fully.

By the second prediction, the disciples react in grief, but not denial.

By the third prediction, there is no documented reaction at all. All three records are from same gospel account and thus the same author. It is significant that they were differentiated in this way. Jesus was preparing His disciples… even though we see later that they did not fully understand yet, nor did they handle Jesus’ death with a ‘perfect’  response. None the less, they would at least be able to look back and clearly remember that Jesus went willingly.

One last point I find significant… at what point did Jesus first feel it was the right timing to tell his disciples of His coming death and resurrection? The first prediction followed an exchange with Peter.

Matthew 16:13-20

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”[c]

14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[d] the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John,[e] because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’),[f] and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell[g] will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid[h] on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit[i] on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Jesus shares the prediction of His death and resurrection starting after Peter realizes and proclaims that Jesus is “…the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” This truth, not Peter as a person, is the rock upon which Jesus builds the church. We see quickly that Peter will fail (denying Christ three times) as all men fail. But the truth of Jesus as Messiah, the Son of the Living God… Jesus will never fail. That truth will stand against all effort and power from Hell.

Do you truly accept the physical suffering and death of Jesus for our sins as a real event in history? or are you still in denial as the disciples were at first?

When you think of His suffering and death, have you ever felt grief that your sins (and mine) are why Jesus suffered and died? If not, we may be led back to the first question.

Knowing that Jesus submitted to God’s will perfectly, even willingly going into certain suffering and death… are you willing to fully submit to God and follow where He leads? or are you holding back some areas of your life to your own plans or comforts?

Do you proclaim Him boldly to others? or keep your “faith” to yourself? James said faith without works is dead [James 2:14-26]. Paul said part of the evidence of a saving faith is to proclaim Jesus as Lord [Romans 10:9-10]. Jesus said if you deny me before men, so I will deny you before the Father [Matthew 10:32-33].

Again I ask… Do you proclaim Him boldly to others? or keep your “faith” to yourself?

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Am I too late?, Character of God, Consequences of Sin, Faith / Trusting God, Grace / Forgiveness, Hope, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Love, Merciful, Parables, Repenting from Sin, Selfishness

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like a Vineyard

Jesus teaches us about the kingdom of heaven by comparing it to a vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16. Once again He clearly shows the contrast between the kingdom of heaven and the ways of man with a stark contrast that at first read appears “unfair”, but in reality demonstrates the mercy, grace, and love we all want to receive.

20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage[a] and sent them out to work.

3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

People often misunderstand this parable when they view it through the eyes of men rather than the eyes of God. As is true of all parables, Jesus is using an illustration people should be able to understand to explain a greater concept about the kingdom of heave.  Jesus’ point is not about the sum of money that people receive for working in a vineyard. Rather, Jesus is speaking about the offer God has extended to each of us through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He offers salvation to all of us, no matter if we find Him early in the day (e.g. early in our lives) or late in the day, just before work is completed (e.g. on our deathbed).

None of the workers “deserve” or are “owed” the right to work in the vineyard and receive payment. All of them are invited at the discretion of the vineyard owner, who represents God. We can all receive salvation and forgiveness from sins no matter how close to death we are. What a wonderful God we serve that he receives us even if we come to Him late in our lives. We may have hope of eternal life with Him and hope for others we know that it is never too late for them, until the very moment of death and judgment. God shows mercy, grace, and love to all of us by extending the offer to serve Him through submission to Jesus Christ.

For those who submit to God, we will be like the angels in heaven, rejoicing when a single soul repents and asks Jesus to be Lord of their life, submitting fully to God and proclaiming Him publically. For those who see life only through the eyes of their own selfishness, they will continue to wrestle with and complain about this parable… claiming that it is not fair that they worked longer for Jesus and do not appear to get a higher reward. Truth be told, these people are often far from the kingdom of God. We are not saved by works and when we love and submit to Jesus as our Lord, we do not consider it a burden we resent carrying but rather rejoice that we may serve Him. If we serve Him longer it is all the better to further the kingdom! If others join us late, it too is cause for celebration!

Jesus later gives us a very tangible illustration of the meaning behind this parable as He hangs upon the cross.  He clearly shows us that we are saved not by works, but rather by grace through faith. Praise God! None of us is good enough to meet God’s standard by works. Only Jesus met the standard. And He carried our sin to the cross on our behalf. Even the criminal who was deserving of death was able to be saved in the closing hours of his life when he could do no works, join no church, and take no action to repent other than with his heart and his words.

Luke 23:39-43

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

God gives us all the opportunity to be saved, but not by our own works. We can have hope in knowing it is never too late for us or for those we love. But with this hope comes great opportunity. Each of us should consider:

  • Have I accepted Jesus’ offer to work in His vineyard… to submit to Him and serve Him in the work He wants done? (Am I saved?)
  • Am I working hard in the vineyard to do the Lord’s work or am I content to just do the bare minimum to get paid at the end of the day (e.g. make it into heaven)?  (Am I fully submitted to Jesus and His work or only committed to the point that it is convenient and comfortable for me?)
  • Am I studying and learning God’s word, seeking Him prayerfully to develop a more intimate relationship with Him? or am I content to be baby in the faith, requiring constant care and feeding (e.g. spiritually). Such as these are not able to disciple others and may fade even themselves over time. They are easily misled by false prophets.
  • Is my goal to convert others to Christianity (e.g. bare minimum for them to be saved)? or is my goal to make disciples of others such that they can share God’s word and bring the good news effectively to others?
  • What changes should I make today to fully submit my life to Jesus?

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Character of God, Consequences of Sin, Heaven and Hell, Justice / Judgment, Parables

Hell Is Real – Prepare Today To Avoid It Tomorrow

If you accept Jesus Christ as Lord, so must you accept that hell is real. Many of our churches today do not teach on hell because it makes people uncomfortable. People want to believe that everyone goes to heaven and there is no hell. However Jesus Christ Himself spoke about hell on many occasions and warned people to avoid it with a sense of urgency. He knew it to be important to warn people about hell because it is a miserable place and our decision to accept or reject God will have eternal consequences.

[John 3:16-18] 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

[Matthew 25:41-46] 41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.[g] 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

[John 5:24-30] 24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

25 “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. 26 The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. 27 And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man.[d] 28 Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29 and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. 30 I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

 If we love others, we must tell them about hell as Jesus did. If we saw a building was on fire and people were having a party inside, would we not come and tell them with a sense of urgency? If they still did not believe us, would we not tell them again trying to point to the evidence of it, urging them at least to come and look for themselves? It would be a true failure on our part as Christians to just walk by their house as it burned and say “I am sure they are aware of the fire and have chosen to remain inside, so they are responsible for themselves. I do not want to upset them and disturb their good time. I don’t want them to make fun of me and I certainly don’t want them to feel embarrassed or self conscious about remaining in an house that is on fire. ”

If you accept Jesus as Lord, you must also accept heaven and hell as real. He taught about them often. Just because it may be unpopular does not make it false. Are you living your life as if heaven and hell are real and eternal? Are you telling others with a sense of urgency, as if to rescue them from a burning building?

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Consequences of Sin, Evidence in Scripture, Family, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Love, Marriage, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Thankfulness

The Lord Saw That Leah Was Unloved

Genesis 29:31-35 continues after Jacob has just been deceived by Laban in order to trick Jacob into marrying his older daughter Leah, instead of Rachel, whom Jacob wanted. Jacob then married both, but did not love Leah.

God loved Leah and had compassion on her while she was unloved by her husband. He grants children to her, but withholds children from her sister, Rachel. Scripture shares with us a very sad situation that resulted from the sin of Laban and Jacob and then impacts Leah and Rachel as well. Laban was wrong to trick Jacob into marrying Leah and Jacob was wrong for not loving her once he was married to her. Love is not a “warm, fuzzy feeling” born solely out of emotion. Emotions come and go. Love is best defined in 1 Corinthians 13, which we will get to further in today’s reading.

Genesis 29:31-35

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive. 32 So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,[b] for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”

33 She soon became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon,[c] for she said, “The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.”

34 Then she became pregnant a third time and gave birth to another son. He was named Levi,[d] for she said, “Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!”

35 Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah,[e] for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!” And then she stopped having children.

We should take time to give Leah her due credit. When she was given the gift of children, she gave thanks and praise to God for it. How hard it must have been for her to know she was not loved by her husband.  There is no mention of her complaining to God that her husband did not love her, just thanking Him for the gift of children.

Jacob having accepted Leah as his wife, should have shown love to her. Remember… love is not an emotion and is not triggered by hormones. Love is best demonstrated by God’s love for us, which led Him to come down to live among us as Jesus and to suffer and die for us… despite the wickedness of our hearts and our sinful nature. He made a way for us to be reconciled with Him after we rebelled against Him, choosing sin instead of following God’s commands.

Paul summarizes love well in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Learning to love others this way is difficult for man. We are inherently sinful and selfish. Never the less, God calls us to show love for others in this way whether they are our spouses, children, or others we interact with in our daily lives.  As we strive to show others this love, we can remember that is the type of love for which Jesus died for us.

As a bit of a side note, we once again see the failure of those recorded in the Bible as the fathers of our faith. The Bible does not only record successes. What glorious evidence to the truth of the gospel. If it were “made up” or “fiction” the writers would certainly just show these founders as godly and minimize their mistakes. God reveals to us the failures and successes so we can learn from both.

This scripture is as relevant today as when it was first written. Please take time to reflect on how to apply it in your life. Pray the Holy Spirit would convict you and guide you to where you need to make changes in how you treat others around you.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Consequences of Sin, Family, Lying / Deceiving, Marriage, Murder

Deception From Within The Family

Genesis 29:15-30 continues leading us on a journey with Jacob whereby in fleeing from his past mistakes and their destructive impact on his family, Jacob met God personally on the way to find his uncle Laban. Jacob pledged to follow God. We see in this passage that Jacob is going to experience seemingly unthinkable deception at the hands of his own family. Yet one hopes God can use this deception to teach Jacob a lesson about his own deception and trickery which he played out on his father Isaac to receive the blessing Isaac intended for Esau.

After Jacob had stayed with Laban for about a month, 15 Laban said to him, “You shouldn’t work for me without pay just because we are relatives. Tell me how much your wages should be.”

16 Now Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. 17 There was no sparkle in Leah’s eyes,[a] but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. 18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.”

19 “Agreed!” Laban replied. “I’d rather give her to you than to anyone else. Stay and work with me.” 20 So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days.

21 Finally, the time came for him to marry her. “I have fulfilled my agreement,” Jacob said to Laban. “Now give me my wife so I can sleep with her.”

22 So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood and prepared a wedding feast. 23 But that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 (Laban had given Leah a servant, Zilpah, to be her maid.)

25 But when Jacob woke up in the morning—it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked seven years for Rachel! Why have you tricked me?”

26 “It’s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn,” Laban replied. 27 “But wait until the bridal week is over; then we’ll give you Rachel, too—provided you promise to work another seven years for me.”

28 So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too. 29 (Laban gave Rachel a servant, Bilhah, to be her maid.) 30 So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her much more than Leah. He then stayed and worked for Laban the additional seven years.

If it was Laban’s intent solely to marry his daughter Leah or get more work from Jacob, then he succeeded. However, he was wrong to do it this way, with deception and trickery. Laban essentially placed Leah in the care of a husband who did not love her and was not interested in her. This caused problems for her, and for Rebekah, as we will see in our next lesson as we read on in Chapter 29.

One hopes that Jacob is able to learn from this incident that how he deceived his father, Isaac, was wrong and hurtful. Jacob handled the situation much better than Esau. Jacob did not plot revenge by killing or hurting Laban despite being angry as Esau had plotted to kill Jacob in anger.

I am often reminded as I read through scripture that whatever family problems we see in our society around us today are not new and unique. Mankind is inherently selfish and sinful and brings much suffering and wickedness into the world, even amongst family. Man has not changed in thousands of years, just our surroundings like home, tools, clothing.

None of us are ‘good enough’ to meet God’s standard. I am grateful that God came in the person of Jesus Christ to die for my sins. He paid a debt that I could not. I accept Him as my lord and savior. I repent (e.g. turn away from) my sins and submit to Him. Through the grace of God I am saved by faith. Praise God for the depths of His love for us!

If you have accepted Christ as your savior, please take time to thank Him and praise Him. Submit to Him and turn from your sins daily. Change your life to reflect His instruction instead of the world’s.

If you have never accepted Christ as your savior, please do so now. It is not about the words or a one time action, but rather a genuine repentance of the heart and submission to God. Accept that He died for your sins, was buried, and rose again. Submit to and follow Him. Ask Him into your life as Lord.

If you have any questions or want to pray with someone, please reach out to us at our Contact Us page invite us to pray with you or provide you with more information.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Blessed, Character of God, Family, Hearing from God, Holy / Set Apart, Justice / Judgment, Righteousness / Serving God

Submit To God’s Will And He Will Direct Your Path

Genesis 29 continues while Jacob is on his journey escaping from his brother Esau and seeking his uncle Laban to find a wife from his own people, one that does not practice the detestable worship of the Hittites as did the wives of Esau. God revealed himself to Jacob in a dream in Genesis 28 and Jacob committed to following and serving God.

We see that, with God’s help, Jacob had no trouble finding his uncle immediately upon arriving in the land. God clearly appears to be guiding the events to help Jacob. God keeps His promises, and the blessings of God are real and significant.

29 Then Jacob hurried on, finally arriving in the land of the east. 2 He saw a well in the distance. Three flocks of sheep and goats lay in an open field beside it, waiting to be watered. But a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well.

3 It was the custom there to wait for all the flocks to arrive before removing the stone and watering the animals. Afterward the stone would be placed back over the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob went over to the shepherds and asked, “Where are you from, my friends?”

“We are from Haran,” they answered.

5 “Do you know a man there named Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” he asked.

“Yes, we do,” they replied.

6 “Is he doing well?” Jacob asked.

“Yes, he’s well,” they answered. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the flock now.”

7 Jacob said, “Look, it’s still broad daylight—too early to round up the animals. Why don’t you water the sheep and goats so they can get back out to pasture?”

8 “We can’t water the animals until all the flocks have arrived,” they replied. “Then the shepherds move the stone from the mouth of the well, and we water all the sheep and goats.”

9 Jacob was still talking with them when Rachel arrived with her father’s flock, for she was a shepherd. 10 And because Rachel was his cousin—the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother—and because the sheep and goats belonged to his uncle Laban, Jacob went over to the well and moved the stone from its mouth and watered his uncle’s flock. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and he wept aloud. 12 He explained to Rachel that he was her cousin on her father’s side—the son of her aunt Rebekah. So Rachel quickly ran and told her father, Laban.

13 As soon as Laban heard that his nephew Jacob had arrived, he ran out to meet him. He embraced and kissed him and brought him home. When Jacob had told him his story, 14 Laban exclaimed, “You really are my own flesh and blood!”

Jacob submitted to God in Genesis 28. In fact, he gained an appropriate fear of God, recognizing the authority of our Lord. When we submit to God, He will direct our paths and when we seek to live out our lives according to His will and His plan instead of our own, He will enable us to succeed.

Each of us should consider… “Have I truly submitted all of my life to God? Do I trust Him in the outcome, even if it is not what I want or ask for? What areas am I holding on to, insisting it be according to my will instead of His?”

Another aspect we must consider as Christians is that we should, like Jacob, have an appropriate “fear” of God. He is not just a loving “grandfather” with no opinion of right and wrong in our behaviors. He is a just and holy God… a father… who is going to hold us accountable for the right and wrong that we commit through our thoughts, actions, and inactions. He does so because He loves us and He knows what is best for us. We should let that appropriate fear help to guide us in our submission to Him as we would an earthly father.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Money / Finances / Wealth

HFJ News: Donations To Help Share The Gospel

We are continuing our weekly Friday extra post of “HFJ News” which is intended to introduce our Christian community to different parts of the website that many find useful.  Links are provided for your convenience or you can just visit the site directly at HearingFromJesus.org and look around on your own.

Today’s highlight is our Donations page. At HFJ, we have a passion to share the good news of the gospel globally. We are reaching people all over the world and engaging them in understanding the truth of God’s word. We certainly appreciate your support in prayer and financially for those who are able to do so.

If you click the hyperlink below (“Donate”), it will take you to the donations page on our website.

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Donate

Hearing From Jesus is reaching more than 20 countries across the globe helping to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please partner with us to help us fulfill the great commission.

We have set up several specific funds to provide options for where you would like to see your money invested to spread the word of God. You can select a specific fund if you wish when filling out the form below.

  • Hearing From Jesus General Operations Fund
  • Identify Effective Study Tools and Resources
  • Share the Gospel Across the World
  • Share the Gospel in Africa
  • Share the Gospel in Asia
  • Share the Gospel in Europe
  • Share the Gospel in North America
  • Share the Gospel in South America
  • Share the Gospel in the Middle East
  • Teach Finances God’s Way (GrowMyMoneyNow.org)

Monetary donations of any size are an effective way to help us share the gospel with the world. We are an IRS recognized 501 c 3 non profit in the U.S.A. Donations are tax deductible.

The following link will connect you with the official PayPal site for secure donation.  If you do not have a PayPal account you can use the option to donate using a credit card.

If you have any difficulty or want more detail on how donations are spent, please visit our Contact Us page to let us know.

THANK YOU!

Please click the link if you wish to make a donation at this time to help spread the good news of the gospel.

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May the grace and peace of our lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Note: HFJ News posts are always supplemental and never replace our daily devotions, so please be sure to look for your daily devotion from Hearing From Jesus (HFJ) as well.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Sharing God's word through devotionals and other resources. Helping you study the Bible and apply it to your life. Helping young children to enjoy the Bible at our Kid Zone.