But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, who ruled that area, saw her, he grabbed her, forced himself on her, and sexually assaulted her. It is obvious that every man's work will be tested by God, But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. They told the king they would not divide their allegiance, that they would maintain their faith in God and His promises. I praise you and pray for all these things in Jesus' name. I have also heard an unbeliever saying, "If Christianity is all about the lifestyle of that pastor, I will never be a Christian.". 23 But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. It is obvious that working for God is not good enough. Why is it so prevalent? Such images are in stark contrast to the pristine beauty and glory of Eden as presented in Genesis. We will give you our consent on this one condition: You must become like us by circumcising all your males. 2 Guzik, D. (2013). Why is this happening? ), Address:1900 W. Crescent Ave.Anaheim, CA 92801, 2021 HolyWave Ministry of Sa-Rang Community Church. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. Office 19170, POBox6945 The time to strengthen your walk with the Lord is now (Prov. Hebrews 11:5 says that Enoch was known as a man who pleased God. Big Question: What are the consequences of neglecting God, as demonstrated in the Genesis 34 narrative? Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you if you belong to Him (John 14:1-4). 1 Peter 5:5, NIV, What is humility? Yet Ryries Notes Say Otherwise. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the stateshorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall. W. A. Criswell, Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you. Enoch served God because we are told in Jude 14-15 that he prophesied against men who lived ungodly lives. Now God will make them known as the nation that did not obey and perished. (Now he was more important than anyone in his fathers household.) 21Thus says theLordof hosts, the God of Israel:Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. How do you see Gods discipline operating in the church and society? 1 John 1:6. We can manifest the fruit regardless of the circumstances we face because it is a product of the Spirit of God living in us. In this narrative, Jacob didnt only fail Dinah, he also failed his sons, who committed unjust murders. Sadly, in many places, Christians dont have great testimonies either. The God of grace loves to forgive. But to further demonstrate the gravity of the gross immorality in Shechem, when Hamor, the princes father, approached Jacob about Dinah marrying his son, he doesnt apologize or even mention the issue. Jesus said salvation comes from the Jews (John 4:22). Take more time to read and meditate on Gods Word, and allow Him to speak into your life. How well God must like you you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College. As the entertainment world promotes violence, our young people will become even more violent. But we can learn a thing or two from the verses that mention him. This is what made their act even more evil. After the murder, they also plundered the city and surrounding fieldstaking the wealth, children, and women. This mindset has landed me in a heap of trouble on more than one occasion. But he did manifest some qualities that every father should emulate. But the Bible says our eternal destiny is earthly, not heavenly. A person who walks with God manifests the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23, which includes love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Colossians 3:1 tells us to seek those things which are above, where Christ is. In verse 5 were told to put to death the passions that come from below"fornication, uncleanness, passion, and evil desire. Then the Lord added the sin of greed or covetousness to the list, calling it idolatry. It was not uncommon in the Old Testament for the word of the Lord to come to Gods prophets again and again. Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. The Bible Teachers Guide, Jacob: Being Transformed By Amazing Grace, When God Is Neglected, Sexual Immorality Saturates Society, When God Is Neglected, Parents Neglect Their Children, When God Is Neglected, Religion Is Abused, When God Is Neglected, Violence Increases, When God Is Neglected, He Brings Discipline to Help Us Repent. Why was Jacobs teenage daughter even allowed to go to the city by herself? Make sure Christ is at the center of your life and that your love for Him eclipses everything else! Goodbye hardship and heaviness. On the third day after their circumcision, when the pain probably was the worst, two of Jacobs sons murdered all the men in the town. The world only plans to corrupt them and take away their innocence. And I have paid the price dearly. As a result, the one group that was willing to follow God fully got to go into the Promised Land, while the other group did not! You are so faithful and understanding of my circumstances and you reach down to me with compassion. Earlier this year, a volunteer for a charity in Arizona was going through books donated for a sale. Many people ask how one hears God, and this is because they dont understand how it happens. Then we will give you our daughters to marry, and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. Talk about rejection! They did worse than their fathers. This happened twice with Abraham, as his wife was taken into Pharaohs and Abimelechs harems (12:15; 20:2). Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts. But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. Before Jesus left the earth, He told His disciples that they had the ability to recognize the Holy Spirit, because He would be with them and in them (John 14:17). Psalm 38:4 tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good. Yes, God can and often does restore, but why would you want to go through an ordeal if you didnt have to? They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. Many people have walked away from the Lord and are not concerned about it. As Peter wrote, we look for a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13). Human authors would not have added this story. Do not settle for ignorance. Jacobs sons murdered the men of the city after they were circumcised. The volunteer decided the dilapidated volume wasnt worth saving and was about to throw it away when she thumbed through it and found a hidden chamber. The apostle Paul addressed that question in 1 Corinthians 10:11"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition." Then we will give you our daughters to marry, and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. So Jacob remained silent until they came in Jacobs sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully when they spoke because Shechem had violated their sister Dinah. Genesis (Ge 34:14). Gen 19, Judges 19)! Sometimes, in the course of life, your walk with God becomes weakened by the hardships, storms, trials, and difficult circumstances. It tells us that God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus to die for us so that we will not perish, but have eternal life. He healed the mans paralysis. Only God can move you from confusion to clarity. When we think life has collapsed around us, the God of glory appears above us. In fact, this demonstrates that all are sinnersJews and Gentiles. Confusion. We have a purpose for being hereto refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. I want to intentionally be sensitive to God's voice and have an obedient heart towards Him. Have nothing to do with such people. First, he believed the promises of God about the future God had planned for him (Hebrews 11:8-12). Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Like Paul said, the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you (Rom 2:24). It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. The moment you got ahead of God is the moment you stepped out of His will. Instead of returning good for evil (Rom 12:21), they return eye for eye and tooth for tooth. Titus 1:16. With Dinah, Jacob is probably quiet because she wasnt his priority. "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. Harriet Buell, in her hymn A Child of the King. 2 Peter 1:13-14, NIV. Please give her to him as his wife. The benefits of God are available to those who have a relationship with Him. Theydevotetheir livestotheserviceofGodusing their spiritual gifts. That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. ), then the one or two hours a day with parents and one hour of church on Sunday wont be very influential. When Jonah ran from God, God brought a storm in his life to turn him back (Jonah 1). Please give her to him as his wife. An intimate walk with God affords an opportunity to study His character, to see it developed in the free communications He makes, and to listen to . As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, the life we now live is the life of Christ in us as we keep our faith in Him. Anyone who walks with God desires to do things for Him because it brings a fulfillment that no other work does. If we do so, wont their livestock, their property, and all their animals become ours? Revelation 21 Seems To Be After The Millennium Where It Says There Will Be No Pain Or Tears. Then we will give you our daughters to marry, and we will take your daughters as wives for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. We often hear about the benefits of waiting on God, but what about the consequences of NOT waiting on Him? From the very beginning, God had a relationship with Adam and Eve that found them "walking in the garden in the cool of the day" (Gen 3:8). If God had allowed Jeremiah to pray for them, what more could it do? This also is vanity. Love One Another The Overlooked Commandment. How should Christians protect their minds and bodies from this very present danger? The first, the First Council of Nicaea, met to agree on the nature of Jesus of Nazareth as both Son of God and Son of Man, as both fully divine and fully human. Over the years, stars . There was so much pain and suffering that could have been avoided had Abraham and Sarah exercised a little patience and waited on God. Second, as a result of Abrahams trust in God, he became a friend of God (Isaiah 41:8). Humanity was made to worship God, and if we dont worship him, we will worship something else. To think less of Gods gift would be to devalue it; to think realistically about it allows one to serve humbly. In three days, when they were still in pain, two of Jacobs sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinahs brothers, each took his sword and went to the unsuspecting city and slaughtered every male. (4) Trusting in the Lord, not methods. So let them live in the land and travel freely in it, for the land is wide enough for them. Tagged: consequences of not walking with god . Thats the way He cares for us tooevery day, all year long, always. But his love for foreign women made him disobey God. In 2 Timothy 3:5-6 (NIV), Paul describes abusive spiritual leaders: having a form of godliness but denying its power. In his vision of the future, the apostle John saw that new heaven and a new earth, our new domain being pictured as the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God (Revelation 21:1-2). Many who worked for God but did not walk with Him will be disappointed: Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. In Genesis 17, God called Abraham to circumcise himself and the males in his household as a sign of faith. To make this even worse, it is clear from the narrative that Dinah wasnt at home with Jacob but was being held captive by this family (Gen 34:26). It's easy to get misled by your own thoughts and emotions of what's right or wrong. Scripture Passage: Jeremiah 7:16-28 (NASB), 16As for you,do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you. They said the enemies were too big and that their kingdoms were too well fortified. Let signs and wonders come from God and let us allow the Holy Spirit to come back to the Church and minister in every department. Paul says when people dont acknowledge God, it leads to murder, hostility, insolence, ruthlessness, and even approval of such evils. Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible. Congregations will find teachers who make them feel good by preaching myths. During difficult times, the hope of eternity gives us strength. 2:5) 2. As our lives center on God, giving priority to hearing His voice and reading His Word, we become bolder in sharing our faith. Paul writes that we belong to God and we are to glorify Him with our care and use of our body. If Moses, the author of Genesis, was simply trying to encourage Israel before they entered the promised land, this story would have been left out, as it displays the Jews in an unflattering light. Live in it, travel freely in it, and acquire property in it. Then Shechem said to Dinahs father and brothers, Let me find favor in your sight, and whatever you require of me Ill give. One of the most striking and helpful illustrations of Jesus humanity was His prayer life. Though redeemed, believers still have a sinful nature that must be subdued by living in the Spirit (Gal 5:16-22). But, since God is the ultimate author of Scripture, he doesnt hide the flaws of his people. If they did that, then the two tribes could intermarry. We are in Him before the foundation of the world. With pride? Daily Bible Verse: Luke 2:11. Its one thing to say, I forgive you, but its another to act like all the effects of an offense are completely erased. The result is it makes advances in the best of all knowledge, the knowledge of God. It is important to know them, so we can repent of them. (We reserve the right to moderate comments. 28And you shall say to them, This is the nation that did not obey the voice of theLordtheir God, and did not accept discipline;truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips. Sadly, when God is neglected, religion will be abusedleading to tragic results in our societies as well. All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added. God loves you and He desires to bless you abundantly. 26Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear,but stiffened their neck. Thomas Watson, Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Asa knew, as everyone who grows strong in the Lord knows, that a powerful . He knows, cares, pursues, and changes me.as He sees fit. Soften my heart and melt away the strongholds of sin. So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, These men are at peace with us. A major fall away from God doesnt happen at once. To first-century leaders in the Roman world, the imagery was familiar: A victorious Roman general returning from battle leading his soldiers and their captives into the city. The Pharisees made a career out of separating themselves from society. Our relationship with God is never-ending because we become part of His Kingdom when we get born again, and His Kingdom lasts forever. Thank you, Lord. I will continue to push forward and be faithful with my time with the Lord.. You are such a gracious God. He will delay blessings if it will help you grow. Commitment keeps you going even when you dont feel like praying or reading your Bible. Thats nothing compared to the treasure youll find when opening the covers of the Bible. Choose your way or anyone elses way and you will reap absolutely nothing in this life as far as God is concerned when it is all finally said and done. A good idea is not always a God idea so you need wisdom to determine the God ideas. Christian Living. If It Is During The Millennium How Will There Not Be Pain And Tears When The Devil Is Released To Deceive The Nations? William Gurnall, Now it came to pass in those days that [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. The benefits and results of walking with God now and forever far outweigh the sacrifices we make today to spend more time with Him. Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Maybe, Jacob doesnt say anything because he knows that he is responsible. Richard Sibbes, DavidJeremiah.blog is part of the broadcast ministry of David Jeremiah. One of the most dramatic examples of one group of people who followed Godfullyand another group who did not were the Israelites who were tested by God the Father in the desert after being rescued from the Egyptians in the story of Moses. Could any father set a more worthy example to his children or grandchildren than that of being friends with God? Ex 20:5). Amen. Look for opportunities to do both. James 4:1-3 says. Therefore, if we are to experience victory in this life, it will come only as we depend on Him. But if you do not agree to our terms by being circumcised, then we will take our sister and depart.. The evidence of you having a relationship with God is people see that God is in your life. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is fullgrown, brings forth death (James 1:1315). When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. And that mandate extends to our personal life as well. I must pray for alignment with His heart and pray for a repentant heart. Asa fortified the land and built a strong army, (14:6-8) but when the enemy struck, he did not rely on his army, but on God (14:11). Or do you graciously say, Thank you, in a spirit of genuine appreciation and humility? But Jonah fled west toward Spain because he feared the Assyrians. He listed them in verses 710. 22For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command themconcerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. Titus 3:3. Something else that may imply the neglect of God in this narrative is the fact that this is one of the few chapters in the Bible where God is never mentioned.2 In the book of Esther, God is never mentioned either, but his sovereign and positive influence is seen throughout the pages. Verse Concepts. Friendship is the marriage of affections. Now Jacobs sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. You can place your steadfast trust in Him. The result is an abundant life that bears fruit for the Kingdom of God. God doesn't tempt us, but He may allow temptation to enter our lives in order to give us opportunities to make obedient and mature choices. We'll start to question our decision and wonder if we made a wrong choice. declares theLord. However, when people neglect God, abortions become common place because love comes from God. When God is neglected in a society, sexual immorality saturates it. 1. The people leaned on their own understanding and were hardened with evil. Having a focused mind will remind you that you need to set time aside to spend with God; it will keep you away from distractions. And it appears that Jacob and his family began to neglect God in this season. Application Question: In what ways have you experienced strong discipline, including the consequences of sin, which turned you from sin back to God? He commanded them to simply obey time and time again. Its not just bowing down to a small carved statue or a pagan worshiper offering incense at a shrine to Buddha. Now Dinah, Leahs daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet the young women of the land When Jacob heard that Shechem had violated his daughter Dinah, his sons were with the livestock in the field. In fact, there are no instances of Jesus being asked to help or heal and Him answering, I am not willing. There is a place where the Bible says God is not willing, and that is 2 Peter 3:9. He didnt protect her by loving her and establishing appropriate boundaries for her. In this state, you can easily be pulled from one task to another. 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