January 12, 2010 Gen 29 & 30, Luke 12

Title: How far east does Jacob go?
(S)Gen 29:1 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern people.
(O) I am not sure how far east Jacob went but Wikkipedia says Haran is southeast Turkey.

Title: Jacob finds Rachel
(S)Gen 29:9 "Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and began to weep aloud."
(O) I really do not like Jacob much. He is a deceiver and he is loud and pushy - but God loved him and he loved God.
(A) I really have a problem with this man Jacob - my grandfather's last name was Jacob - I gave my son a middle name of Jacob - but now that I know him better I have a problem with him. The only thing about Jacob is that he makes mistakes then he chooses to follow God only and is committed to God. I guess that is why God chose him over Esau - even why today he chooses the one who follows God over just a good person who does not follow God.
(P) There are many Christians who are not that good but they do have a heart for God - really we are all just sinners saved by grace - so we must not judge fellow Christians who haven't got it together - as the bumper sticker says "God isn't finished with me yet" - God help me to understand the shortcomings of Christians who are unpleasant - we are all just equally messed up - but for Christ's help.

Title: Two wives in 2 weeks.
(S) Gen 29:28-30 He finished out the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife....Jacob lay with Rachel also.
(O) I always learned in church that Jacob had to work 7 years for Leah and then before he got Rachel he had to work another 7 years. Well this says he got Rachel the week after he got Leah.... he just had to work for her for 7 more years.

Title: The heartache of being barren.
(S) Gen 30:22 "Then God remembered Rachel; he listed to her and opened her womb. she became pregnant and gave gave birth to a son and said, "God has taken away my disgrace." She named him Joseph.
(O) Barrenness causes great sadness and I must be aware of those who suffer as I have many children and grandchildren but I know many who would love to and do not.
(A) Be aware and care and pray for those who want children but have not gotten there yet.
(P) God I pray for the many couples I know that would love children and do not have them yet. There is nothing too hard for you.

Title: The Evil side has information too.
(S) Gen 30:27-28"I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me (Laban) because of you that the Lord has blessed me because of you," He added, "Name your wages."
(O) At anytime the evil side is waiting to have us go there rather than God - and we might get some answers that are just what we want to hear - but at what cost - we have sold our soul for a little bit of this world's information and treasure. What kind of a deal is that?
(A) We are all tempted with a little larceny, a deal with the devil so to speak - however doing the wrong thing will always give rewards that are temporary.
(P) Lord - help me always to remember that a little evil never justifies any gain at all.

Title: Give me the worst deal and with God's help I will still succeed.
(S) Gen 30:32 Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages."
(O) Just like Abraham and Lot being given the best land - rather than taking the best of everything - Jacob says to Laban - give me all that is spotted or speckled - or imperfect - and what happens ---- Jacob wins. But God turned misfortune to fortune for for Jacob - every animal is pregnant.
and "So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob." Gen. 30:42b
(A) God really is arbitrary - but blessing does not necessarily mean money - it could just mean good people that surround you, etc.
(P) God help us to understand your providence.

Luke 12 - Warnings and encouragements
(S) Luke 12:2 "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known."
(O) I note that Jesus just like a rabbi - first teaches his entourage - His 12 disciples. The message is nothing we do is secret. Every sin is exposed in the end. God knows us - even our secret thoughts - that is pretty unnerving.
(A) We are to live knowing that God knows everything about us.
(P) God help me to please you.

Title: We are to fear anything that jeopardizes our soul.
(S) Gen 12:4 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more......Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell.
(O) The soul - lost so subtly - too much work, a mortgage, a million commitments, too much T.V., anything that separates us from putting God first in our lives - many, many things that we sell out for and forget entirely about God and live our lives with that 1 hour on Sunday and little more thought.
(A) We must fear these distractions - that kill the soul - they are the enemy.
The thing is to realize them as they creep up on us - to be aware of all the things that separate us from God.
(P) God keep me aware of anything that separates me from you.

Title: Just do it.
(S) Luke 12:11b-12 "Do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."
(O) How often we do not serve because we have no confidence - we feel ill equipped to serve and yet it is the Holy Spirit who speaks through us. My daughter said when she was doing evangelism in Marseilles to Muslims that Americans that were elderly and spoke no French still had a role to play with handing out literature and praying -- she thought that people should just "do it"...... perhaps she is right.
(A) We are not used because we are not willing to be used and so become useless. Willingness is the first component of service.
(P) I am a unit - part of my husband and so nothing that I am to do will be apart from him - so God teach us together what you need us for.

Title: Do not Worry
(S) Luke 12:22-23 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes."
(O) We do worry - about the needs of this world - about handling money wisely and doing the right thing. Young families have many needs and are more concerned about those needs than Christian service - I think this is normal - so at some point in our lives providing food and clothes for our young families overtakes almost everything else. I am sure God does not want us to forsake those responsibilities but to trust God to provide and so we should. The thing is not to make these things our passion and to worry about them.
(A) We are to trust God to provide all things. He will do it. That is our needs and not our greeds.
(P) Help us to trust God for everything - and to put Him first and not to worry as he will provide.

Title: Give to the poor.
(S) Luke 12:33 "Sell your possessions and give to the poor".
(O) How much giving to the poor have I done lately - very little - and yet there are so many possessions here that I do not need.
(A) What good instructions - sell much of this unnecessary stuff and give the money to the poor.
(P) Help me to put this stuff on Craigs List next week.

Title: The call to service may come at any moment.
(S) Luke 12:33 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning"
(O) Even though I have this life it does not mean that God does not have an alternate plan. The thing is to be ready to do whatever God requires - whether to rock a grandchild to sleep or to do whatever is needed.
(A) Serving God takes on many faces - just being available and ready to serve is important. This includes being ready to tell anyone about the hope that is within us in Jesus.
(P) Lord help me to know your word and to memorize it as well and to be ready for opportunities to serve.

Title: Christ will always bring division - between nations and within families.
(S) Luke 12:51 "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three."
(O) I am sad when I think that some of my family are not believers however this is what Jesus says will happen. God knows the future and how we pray for those that are unsaved.
(A) Sometimes there are arguments in this house on whether or not the gospel is true - or just some story - I believe with all my heart although I have millions of questions on the details of the scripture that really at this point do not make sense to me. I think we are only told to be faithful and keep praying and it is up to God to bring about the salvation of those we pray for.
(P) There are certain ones that you lay on my heart and I pray for - but am I earnest or do I just believe that God will make it happen. I think I have to make it the cry of my heart more than I do.