The Simple Life

And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. Genesis 32:24 (ESV) Jacob seemed immersed in a family of deceit, dishonor, and manipulation, yet he had something in his heart that God chose to bless. Job was righteous, shunned evil, and feared God, yet God continued His refining work until we see his repentance at the end of the book. Peter had a wonderful heart and desired to please God, yet God used a time of desperation to accelerate him toward the leadership role for which He designed Him. If you pay attention, there are moments when God takes those with pure hearts, solidifies their belief, and accelerates their journey. None of us are perfect, and we all suffer with worldly cataracts that God carefully removes throughout life. My job is to remain pure in heart, to tenaciously seek and submit to His will, and to watch Him work. Enjoy God today https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, "Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth." And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you." Genesis 31:1-3 (ESV) Prosperity is often a curse more than a blessing; children are the natural heirs of their parents' sinful attitudes. Jacob was not a perfect person, yet he was the one who received the promise of God. God decided to use Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob uniquely, and nothing would thwart His plan. Sometimes God uses the resources of the wicked to fuel His purposes, and it seems Laban fits this category. I am convinced I will be a part of God's plan regardless of what I do. If I am evil, God will manipulate my worldly gains and use them and me for His purposes, and I will end up with no benefit. But, on the o

When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!" Genesis 30:1 (ESV) Envy destroys lives, yet we seem to spend much of our emotional energy observing what others have compared to us. When Peter asked Jesus about "the disciple that Jesus loved," Jesus, in essence, told him to mind his own business and focus on himself, making a proper response. In Galatians 5, envy is listed with drunkenness and orgies as disruptive forces of evil in our lives. The problem is that we do not believe God uniquely created us and has a life plan. Instead, we think that the plan for someone else should be our plan, and we look for God to use us or bless us like them. The Scriptures teach that each person is unique; we are all different body parts with different functions and purposes. An elbow would be inappropriate for a knee to envy, and for me to envy another person for any reason would be disastrous. Healthy

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. Genesis 29:20 (ESV) God has a plan, yet working out the plan of God can sometimes get messy. We will never be able to thwart God's plans; however, we can make getting to the finish line awkwardly difficult. Knowing God and submitting to His plan is the foundation to all wise decisions. But, unfortunately, sometimes, knowing something about God and sort of submitting is an excellent way to spread misery. In the end, God's promise to Jacob is kept, and his sons begin the tribes of Israel. No human can thwart the plans of God. Therefore, our decisions will either allow us to join in on what God is doing or keep us outside looking into what God is doing. God worked through Jacob, and, to this day, is identified as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This plan works because the ultimate story is not about Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob but about God. What is your life story

Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." Genesis 28:10-15 (E

His mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me." Genesis 27:13 I wonder if we think about the ramifications of our actions. Sometimes we are so into the moment that we embrace foolish decisions that will destroy our tomorrow. Yet, we do not seem to care. Instead, we are excited about today and pretend that tomorrow is not coming. Jacob's mom wanted things to be a certain way so badly that she was willing to be destroyed in the process, as well as allow her son to live a deceptive and guilt-ridden life. The price of narcissism is always too high. So be careful, for today's desires can fuel tomorrow's disasters. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

So Abimelech called Isaac and said, "Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac said to him, "Because I thought, 'Lest I die because of her.'" Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us." So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, "Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death." Genesis 26:9-11 Sin affects everyone it touches and changes lives for generations. Family generational sins are difficult to break and cause problems for many years. However, we can love those we have never met by setting the proper example of how to live now, knowing our example is just that, an example. Many young people are doomed to a life of dysfunction unless they can observe a functional family. So perhaps in the future youth work should be young people integrating into families set up the w

Once, when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now." Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. Genesis 25:29-34 (ESV) Sometimes, living in the moment can destroy our future, and Esau destroyed what could be to satisfy his momentary desire. Hebrews  12:15-16  says this: "See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.&q

…that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell. Genesis 24:3 Abraham knew that the mixing of the Godless world would cause significant problems, and he worked diligently to make sure that his son was not infected. So often today, we call this infection "relating to the world" and talk of it positively. So often, there is so little distinction between the pagan and the Christian that we do not find it necessary to draw lines of distinction. God is patient but not tolerant, and when we push Him towards tolerance, we will find the limit of His patience. Abraham cared and was a good father, a lesson to all who care to learn. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. Genesis 23:1-2 (ESV) The heroes of the faith faced the same cycles of life common to all people. Abraham and Sarah had the normal struggles of family life and eventually succumbed to the "way of man." Death will always be tough for those who remain alive because we were never meant to go through that experience. Yet, those who walk with God will see death as an experience, a gateway to the future rather than an ending point. Abraham is mourning and should mourn, yet his sadness has no bearing on his hope for a time when God will wipe every tear and recreate what was meant to be. Every human being will experience these same events, and that moment will be one of great hope or hopelessness. The choices we make today will affect that moment. For now, the choice is ours.   https://www.

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." Genesis  22:15-18 Why was Abraham blessed?  Was it his ability to run a business? Was it his personality or position, or pedigree? No. It was the fact that he obeyed God. Period. No other factor. No other reason. We can do the same.   https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you." Genesis 22:5 (ESV) Abraham may not have understood how God would work, but he was convinced He would provide. His words and actions pointed to an intimate knowledge of God. Those who know God act like they know God, and those who do not know Him act like they do not. Knowing God does not mean we know what He will do; it means we trust whatever He does. When our confidence is in God, we go boldly into the future without anxiety, fear, or disillusionment. Those who know God and remain obedient to Him live lives of no regret, know they are significant and secure, and act in accordance with what they know. Those who do not know God act following their feelings, popular opinions, urges, and desires. The key to all fulfillment in life is knowing and obeying God. Once again, I am thankful God has given me something I can do. https://www.podbean.com/rel

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Genesis 22:3 (ESV) In our relationship with God, obedience is always more important than understanding. According to Hebrews, it is impossible to please God without faith, and faith and understanding are often at odds. We can know God, but we cannot know what lies ahead. We can understand mercy and grace, but not the circumstances of life. We can rest in God while being confused by man. Anyone who demands understanding before faith has elevated themselves to God-like standards and will be disappointed in life. We can always obey even if we cannot always understand.   https://www.podbean.com/relate365

After these things, God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Genesis 22:1-4 Did God know what Abraham was going to do? Yes. Why the test? Perhaps Abraham did not know what he would do. Perhaps Abraham, after seeing Lot's life destroyed, and passing his wife off as his sister a few times, lacked confidence that he would make the right decision. However, God, who is not tolerant but patient, knew Abraham now had it in him to do what was right, and perhaps H

The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Genesis 21:1-2 God does as God says, no matter how feasible we think it to be. So get used to it, for it is the way it is, and you can do nothing to alter His plans or methods. He always comes through.   https://www.podbean.com/relate365

From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. Genesis 20:1-2 (ESV) Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done." Genesis 20:9 (ESV) God was working at developing Abraham, and there was some rough traveling along the journey. However, there were times when Abraham stood out as a bastion of faith, and times when fear ruled his heart and could have easily destroyed his family and future. His lack of faith had dire consequences on his family relationships, and it fueled a lack of confidence in himself to do what was right. Fear can grip us at any time and direct us to disastrous decisions. The opposite of fear is confi

Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father." So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose. The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father." So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant

So it was that when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived. Genesis 19:29 Interesting. God remembered Abraham, so Lot was rescued. Abraham must have been a praying man, a loving man, and one who would have been adversely affected by the destruction of Lot. And God had mercy on him and spared Lot. As we live right, who are we praying for and why? Who would be my "Lot" in life that would cause God to say, "God remembered Dave and rescued _______." God responds to genuine love. Imagine what would happen if we, the church today, had this kind of love for others.   https://www.podbean.com/relate365

But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:26 God is not tolerant; He is patient. Lot's wife found that out as she pushed Him towards tolerance. Often we do the same. We count on God's mercy, while forgetting His justice. We rely on His patience, while forgetting His no-tolerance. We depend on Him understanding us, while we refuse to obey Him. We can be most pathetic sometimes, and our self-absorbed ways will always cause destruction.   https://www.podbean.com/relate365

The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. Genesis 19:23-25 (ESV) "Lot went to Sodom because he thought it a secularly desirable place. (Gen  13:10 .) He went there, and there his own piety was injured, his own children contaminated, and the partner of his own bosom became a victim of Divine judgment. The beauty of his home was his curse. The spirit of Lot is still common." (Biblical Illustrator) Despite the positives, Sodon was not a wholesome place to raise a family. Unfortunately, our desire to "mix" with the world often leads to compromise that fuels disaster. Lot's family paid a heavy price for this compromise. This may be an excellent time to see what concessions we have in our lives and project the possible outcomes of our actions. Perhaps t