A beautiful sister. An approved sister. A chosen sister.
“Doesn’t anyone want to marry me? Am I really that ugly? I know I would make a good wife and mother. Why won’t anyone give me a chance?”
Dad’s idea. A radical idea. A deceptive idea.
“Will I finally be loved? A man has to love his wife—doesn’t he?”
Jacob’s anger. Another seven years. For Rachel.
“Jacob doesn’t love me. What can I do to win his love?”
A son. Another son. A third son. A fourth son! All for Jacob.
“Jacob still doesn’t love me. He loves barren Rachel. Will I ever be loved?”
Whether it is longing for a father to say “I love you” or an employer to commend your diligent work or a sibling to thank you for your sacrificial love--anytime we depend on the love or approval of another person to be happy, our lives will become mired in misery. We need love and approval--but God is the only, always-reliable source. He makes it possible to live contented, joy-filled lives even when we are rejected by others.
Sunday: We will begin a two week study on Joseph. Incredible truths! An incredible man! Genesis 37-50.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Saturday, November 11, 2006
"Give Up Everything"
Take your son, your only son, whom you love ... and sacrifice him. Wow! Why did God make such a radical demand? It is not hard to imagine that over time this loved child could usurp God’s place as his first love. An only child. A miracle child. A long-awaited child. A promised child. The elevation of his child would have happened so gradually that it would have gone unnoticed—except by God. Now God wanted to know if Abraham loved Him more than he loved his child.
At the apex of Jesus’ earthly ministry, when large crowds were traveling with him, he delivered a message that his public relations consultant would have screamed at. He warned the crowds that unless they give up everything, they cannot be my disciple. Jesus was not a religious huckster who wanted to pad his statistics by recruiting casual followers.
Like God did with Abraham, Jesus wants us to lay everything that is precious to us on the altar. And He will test our love to see if we truly love Him first. Maybe a son decides to join the military and go to Iraq: “O.K. Lord. He is your son, not mine.” Maybe you have an investment that that erodes most of your savings: “Yes, Lord, all my money is yours. Help me to be faithful in using it.” Maybe you are diagnosed with cancer: “O.K. Lord I understand that I am not in control of my life. I give it back to you.” I have a friend who has struggled to submit the use of his outdoor leisure to God. How did God get his attention? He had a number of close calls—one time he was nearly killed in a collision with a deer, another time he nearly drowned: “O.K. Lord. I don’t want my leisure to be more important to me than you are.”
As disciples of Jesus we must hold everything loosely, remembering that everything is given to us on loan. What do we cling to? What are we afraid of losing? our kids? our job? our spouse? our retirement? our leisure? our money? our health? our house? If we don’t lay all of them at Jesus’ feet we cannot be his disciple.
November 12, 2006 assignment: Read Gen.25:19-28:22.
November 19, 2006: Read Gen.37-50.
At the apex of Jesus’ earthly ministry, when large crowds were traveling with him, he delivered a message that his public relations consultant would have screamed at. He warned the crowds that unless they give up everything, they cannot be my disciple. Jesus was not a religious huckster who wanted to pad his statistics by recruiting casual followers.
Like God did with Abraham, Jesus wants us to lay everything that is precious to us on the altar. And He will test our love to see if we truly love Him first. Maybe a son decides to join the military and go to Iraq: “O.K. Lord. He is your son, not mine.” Maybe you have an investment that that erodes most of your savings: “Yes, Lord, all my money is yours. Help me to be faithful in using it.” Maybe you are diagnosed with cancer: “O.K. Lord I understand that I am not in control of my life. I give it back to you.” I have a friend who has struggled to submit the use of his outdoor leisure to God. How did God get his attention? He had a number of close calls—one time he was nearly killed in a collision with a deer, another time he nearly drowned: “O.K. Lord. I don’t want my leisure to be more important to me than you are.”
As disciples of Jesus we must hold everything loosely, remembering that everything is given to us on loan. What do we cling to? What are we afraid of losing? our kids? our job? our spouse? our retirement? our leisure? our money? our health? our house? If we don’t lay all of them at Jesus’ feet we cannot be his disciple.
November 12, 2006 assignment: Read Gen.25:19-28:22.
November 19, 2006: Read Gen.37-50.
Monday, October 16, 2006
It's difficult to leave the opening chapters of Genesis--they are so foundational to our understanding of life on this earth. But before we exit these chapters, we must ask: If Adam and Eve's sin brought "cancer and canker sores, tornadoes and tomato worms, asps and AIDS, calamity and cavities, aging and arguing, famine and fat," why did God allow the freedom to eat from the tree?
On the highway of life, God gives us the opportunity to play demolition derby--and not all of the participants signed up for the game. Innocent, unsuspecting people get rammed every day. Is freedom good in light of such painful chaos?
What are the alternatives to freedom? In the recent movie, The Stepford Wives, a female scientist (Glenn Close), created robotic people who lived in a special community after she had murdered her husband and his mistress: “All I wanted was a better world where men are men and women are loved and cherished.” Would it be good if God created a Stepford-like world where brothers can't murder brothers? where children aren't abducted? where politicians don't lie? where terrorists don’t exist?
Nicole Kidman’s husband, Matthew Broderick, was considering “enrolling” her in the Stepford program so that he could hang onto her. But Kidman asked, “These machines, these Stepford Wives, can they say I love you?” The director of the program answered: “Of course, in 58 languages.” Kidman: “But do they mean it?” Then she rushed over to her husband and planted a passionate kiss on his lips.
God created a world in which people are genuinely free--free to do good or to do evil. Why? Because He wants creatures who freely, passionately choose to love him. Do you want to argue with God? Would you like to see a little less freedom? Well, take it up with him when you stand before him.
On the highway of life, God gives us the opportunity to play demolition derby--and not all of the participants signed up for the game. Innocent, unsuspecting people get rammed every day. Is freedom good in light of such painful chaos?
What are the alternatives to freedom? In the recent movie, The Stepford Wives, a female scientist (Glenn Close), created robotic people who lived in a special community after she had murdered her husband and his mistress: “All I wanted was a better world where men are men and women are loved and cherished.” Would it be good if God created a Stepford-like world where brothers can't murder brothers? where children aren't abducted? where politicians don't lie? where terrorists don’t exist?
Nicole Kidman’s husband, Matthew Broderick, was considering “enrolling” her in the Stepford program so that he could hang onto her. But Kidman asked, “These machines, these Stepford Wives, can they say I love you?” The director of the program answered: “Of course, in 58 languages.” Kidman: “But do they mean it?” Then she rushed over to her husband and planted a passionate kiss on his lips.
God created a world in which people are genuinely free--free to do good or to do evil. Why? Because He wants creatures who freely, passionately choose to love him. Do you want to argue with God? Would you like to see a little less freedom? Well, take it up with him when you stand before him.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Gen.3--The Beginnings of Sin
The wily serpent began his attack asking Eve: “Did God really say ...?” Satan’s question was designed to implant the suspicion that God was holding out on them, that God had maliciously misled them, and therefore could not be trusted. They would then be open to explore elsewhere for the good things in life.
Eve was eventually hoodwinked, believing that eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil would provide all sorts of fantastic benefits—it would be “good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom.” (This all took place before any “Truth-in-advertising” laws had been passed!) God’s warning about the deathly consequences from eating the fruit could not be trusted.
This has always been the Enemy’s goal—to destroy our trust in the complete goodness. But believing in the undiluted goodness of God is essential for our “moral sanity.” It’s chilling to think that God might have a mixture of good and evil motives toward us.
A.W. Tozer believes that “the whole outlook of mankind might be changed if we could all believe that we dwell under a friendly sky and that the God of heaven, though exalted in power and majesty, is eager to be friends with us.”
But what happens when we sin? when, like Adam and Eve, we try to hide from God? Our great, good God comes searching for us in the back alleys of life. He knows that if left alone, we will utterly destroy ourselves.
Every day, every hour, every minute, every second, the all-powerful God of the universe is working for my good! And if I pursue an obedient relationship with Him, I will experience that unending, unlimited goodness. (See Psalm 118,136)
Assignment for October 8:
Gen.4:1-16
1.What do we learn about sin? temptation?
2.Why was Abel’s offering accepted and Cain’s rejected?
3.Analyze God’s advice to Cain.
Gen.6:1-22
1.Describe the condition of Noah’s world.
2.Why did God judge the world so harshly?
3.What kind of a man was Noah?
Eve was eventually hoodwinked, believing that eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil would provide all sorts of fantastic benefits—it would be “good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom.” (This all took place before any “Truth-in-advertising” laws had been passed!) God’s warning about the deathly consequences from eating the fruit could not be trusted.
This has always been the Enemy’s goal—to destroy our trust in the complete goodness. But believing in the undiluted goodness of God is essential for our “moral sanity.” It’s chilling to think that God might have a mixture of good and evil motives toward us.
A.W. Tozer believes that “the whole outlook of mankind might be changed if we could all believe that we dwell under a friendly sky and that the God of heaven, though exalted in power and majesty, is eager to be friends with us.”
But what happens when we sin? when, like Adam and Eve, we try to hide from God? Our great, good God comes searching for us in the back alleys of life. He knows that if left alone, we will utterly destroy ourselves.
Every day, every hour, every minute, every second, the all-powerful God of the universe is working for my good! And if I pursue an obedient relationship with Him, I will experience that unending, unlimited goodness. (See Psalm 118,136)
Assignment for October 8:
Gen.4:1-16
1.What do we learn about sin? temptation?
2.Why was Abel’s offering accepted and Cain’s rejected?
3.Analyze God’s advice to Cain.
Gen.6:1-22
1.Describe the condition of Noah’s world.
2.Why did God judge the world so harshly?
3.What kind of a man was Noah?
Monday, September 25, 2006
"A Suitable Helper"
Survey of the OT
Gen.2:18-25
"We-just-don't-love-each-other-anymore" is the most common excuse for ending a marriage. But is a lack of love the primary reason for today's fragile state of marriage? I don’t think so. When God introduced the idea of marriage in Genesis, the word “love” was as scarce as clothes were. There were other ideas which formed the building blocks for a healthy marriage.
First, marriage is designed for companionship. At the conclusion of each day of creation, God wrote an epitaph: “And God saw that it was good. . . . And God saw that is was good. . . . And God saw that it was good.” But even before Adam and Eve’s rebellion, God declared that something was not good: “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Though Adam enjoyed intimate fellowship with his Creator in a perfect environment, he was still incomplete. God created us to be social beings who need other people. Marriage is probably our best opportunity to enjoy this companionship.
When Cathy and I were dating we were together constantly -- meeting between classes, sharing meals, attending sporting events, taking long walks, joining a campus Bible study, participating in retreats, etc. Unfortunately, as author Mike Mason points out, most married couples don’t maintain anything close to this type of commitment. Instead, “great amounts of energy are channeled into other concerns, into friendships and social life, into careers, into the raising of offspring, into every conceivable cause except the cause of marriage itself.”
A husband works at an insurance agency while his wife teaches at a public grade school. He hunts and fishes with his buddies while she participates in a book club with her girlfriends. He serves on the finance committee at church while she teaches a girls’ Sunday School class. With such disjointed lives many of these couples drift apart.
Knowing that relationship building takes time, God gave the following instructions to new husbands: “If a man has married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to his wife.” (Deut.24:5) If marriages are going to be strong and help fulfill our great need for companionship, then husbands and wives must lavish time on each other in significant ways. Cathy and I have cultivated our bond by sharing housework and yard work, reading books to each other, ministering to some of the same people, riding bikes together, entertaining in our home, and nurturing our grandchildren.
Next Sunday's assignment: Gen.3:1-24
1.Describe how Eve was tempted. Why did she give into the temptation? Where was Adam? What were the consequences of their sin?
2.How did sin effect the work God had given this couple? How would you define a Biblical view of work?
Gen.2:18-25
"We-just-don't-love-each-other-anymore" is the most common excuse for ending a marriage. But is a lack of love the primary reason for today's fragile state of marriage? I don’t think so. When God introduced the idea of marriage in Genesis, the word “love” was as scarce as clothes were. There were other ideas which formed the building blocks for a healthy marriage.
First, marriage is designed for companionship. At the conclusion of each day of creation, God wrote an epitaph: “And God saw that it was good. . . . And God saw that is was good. . . . And God saw that it was good.” But even before Adam and Eve’s rebellion, God declared that something was not good: “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Though Adam enjoyed intimate fellowship with his Creator in a perfect environment, he was still incomplete. God created us to be social beings who need other people. Marriage is probably our best opportunity to enjoy this companionship.
When Cathy and I were dating we were together constantly -- meeting between classes, sharing meals, attending sporting events, taking long walks, joining a campus Bible study, participating in retreats, etc. Unfortunately, as author Mike Mason points out, most married couples don’t maintain anything close to this type of commitment. Instead, “great amounts of energy are channeled into other concerns, into friendships and social life, into careers, into the raising of offspring, into every conceivable cause except the cause of marriage itself.”
A husband works at an insurance agency while his wife teaches at a public grade school. He hunts and fishes with his buddies while she participates in a book club with her girlfriends. He serves on the finance committee at church while she teaches a girls’ Sunday School class. With such disjointed lives many of these couples drift apart.
Knowing that relationship building takes time, God gave the following instructions to new husbands: “If a man has married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to his wife.” (Deut.24:5) If marriages are going to be strong and help fulfill our great need for companionship, then husbands and wives must lavish time on each other in significant ways. Cathy and I have cultivated our bond by sharing housework and yard work, reading books to each other, ministering to some of the same people, riding bikes together, entertaining in our home, and nurturing our grandchildren.
Next Sunday's assignment: Gen.3:1-24
1.Describe how Eve was tempted. Why did she give into the temptation? Where was Adam? What were the consequences of their sin?
2.How did sin effect the work God had given this couple? How would you define a Biblical view of work?
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sunday school class
Class,
The present debate between creationists and evolutionists is critically important.: “Unconverted man seeks to hide from God. Natural man wants to run his own life. He wants to make his own decisions. He wants to decide at what job to work, what person to marry, where to live, how to spend his money, how to spend his recreational time. He does not want to submit to outside authority. He wants to be independent and autonomous.” (Donald Chittick, The Controversy)
Pagan man needs evolution. It gives him an escape from conscious accountability before his Creator. Though it may be depressing to think that this life is all there is, at least he can choose to “eat, drink and be merry” in this life.
The Bible’s story of Creation should remind us to bow our knees before our Creator. We must not treat God as a hobby, as a spoke in the wheel of our lives. Rather, He is the hub around which everything else revolves. We must bow our whole selves before Him: “Lord how do you want me to worship you? How do you want me to treat my co-workers? my boss? How do you want me to reach out to my neighbors? How do you want me to parent my kids?” And on and on and on. We can’t do this all at once. But we can leave the door of each room in our house open so that He can enter and arrange each according to His design.
P.S. Don’t forget our Prayer/Potluck Sunday night at our house.
6-8 P.M. Kids are welcome. We will provide the main course and drinks. You bring the rest.
Sept.17 assignment: Gen.2:4—25
1.What were the benefits of living under God’s rule?
2.What were the requirements to enjoy these blessings?
3.What do we learn about God’s design for marriage?
The present debate between creationists and evolutionists is critically important.: “Unconverted man seeks to hide from God. Natural man wants to run his own life. He wants to make his own decisions. He wants to decide at what job to work, what person to marry, where to live, how to spend his money, how to spend his recreational time. He does not want to submit to outside authority. He wants to be independent and autonomous.” (Donald Chittick, The Controversy)
Pagan man needs evolution. It gives him an escape from conscious accountability before his Creator. Though it may be depressing to think that this life is all there is, at least he can choose to “eat, drink and be merry” in this life.
The Bible’s story of Creation should remind us to bow our knees before our Creator. We must not treat God as a hobby, as a spoke in the wheel of our lives. Rather, He is the hub around which everything else revolves. We must bow our whole selves before Him: “Lord how do you want me to worship you? How do you want me to treat my co-workers? my boss? How do you want me to reach out to my neighbors? How do you want me to parent my kids?” And on and on and on. We can’t do this all at once. But we can leave the door of each room in our house open so that He can enter and arrange each according to His design.
P.S. Don’t forget our Prayer/Potluck Sunday night at our house.
6-8 P.M. Kids are welcome. We will provide the main course and drinks. You bring the rest.
Sept.17 assignment: Gen.2:4—25
1.What were the benefits of living under God’s rule?
2.What were the requirements to enjoy these blessings?
3.What do we learn about God’s design for marriage?
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