Old Testament

Genesis 31:1-32:32: Jacob was treated unfairly for years but because he was in covenant with God, he was ultimately blessed and came out victorious!!! God will always bring equal justice for His children and vindicate them. Read Psalm 54:1-7.

In Genesis 32, we see fear and distress attack Jacob when he finds out that his brother, who he manipulated out of his birthright, is coming to meet him with 400 men. Look at Jacob’s prayer in Genesis 32:9-11. When you have worry, fear, and distress, pray like Jacob. He reminded God of His promises and humbled himself before God. He was honest with God and told Him that he was afraid. It’s okay to be totally honest with God because he already knows your thoughts and feelings.

Jacob wrestled with God and God changed Jacob’s name because he took responsibility for his past actions without blaming someone else.

Psalms

Psalm 8:6-9: God gave us dominion; it was His decision. Adam lost our dominion but Jesus restored it back to us!!!!!

Proverbs

Proverbs 3:19-20

New Testament

Matthew 11:1-30: Jesus rebukes the cities that witness His powerful miracles, which shows us that seeing does always equate with believing. True rest for the human soul can only be realized and experienced through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Old Testament

Genesis 29:1-30:43: Here we find some very interesting truths. Genesis 29:20 tells us that Jacob served Laban for seven years, so he could marry Laban’s daughter, Rachel. It states that the seven years seemed only like a few days. Wow, what a great effect deep love has upon us!!! Jacob had a goal, and that goal was motivated by his deep love for Rachel.

Goals you set, motivated by true love, will be a delight to finish, even though hard at times. The time it takes to finish will seem short.

If you have a true deep love for your spouse, not a surface love that is only based on the physical, when tough times and temptations come, you will work through, and walk away from anything that would try to destroy your marriage. I know some of you reading this have gone through some very heartbreaking times, and even divorce. But remember, the grace and mercies of God for you are abounding, and this is a new season. If you desire, God can still bring a new and godly love into your life. Before that happens, make sure you allow the healing process to take place and complete its work. Our pastoral counseling department can help you, if you so desire.

If we have a deep, true love for God, and His Word, a long church service will seem short, but if our love and desire is for worldly and carnal things, it will seem long and boring. If we can enjoy a two-hour movie, ball game, video game, Facebook, or any other thing that has no eternal value, and we can’t handle a two-hour church service of worship and the Word, then something is wrong with our present faith and desires. The sad thing about that statement is, those who need to see this, are probably not reading this message!!!! Keep the fire burning, stay in love with God, and His Word!!!!!

It is a joy to work and help in ministry because I have a deep love for God and for people. Therefore, I have a great opportunity to serve both by volunteering!!!

God gave His best gift to me; therefore, because of my deep love for Him, it is a joy to give my tithe and offerings!! Where you give and spend your money shows what you value most in life (Matthew 6:19-21).

We must have balance in our lives, if our lives only center around us, then something is wrong. God wants us to prosper, but He wants us to help and be a blessing for the Kingdom. You cannot out-give God!!! We give our tithe to our local church because the purpose of the local church is ministry; for that ministry to maintain and continue, we must respond to God’s ordained plan. He set this whole plan in place so He could and would bless us in this world’s system. Tithing was God’s plan, not man’s idea; it is also an indicator of our love for God, as well as the ministry of the local church.

As we read Genesis 30, we see the results of envy and jealousy, and how when decisions are made when we are emotionally distraught, it can bring misery to our lives and the lives of others. Bitterness will bring us into a position of trying to manipulate things for our own good, which will eventually backfire on us. Prayer is the answer to every situation in our lives, it may not be answered in our timing but God will bring what we desire in His timing. It is easier to believe for our prayers to be answered now, then waiting for the answers that may tarry.

Psalms

Psalm 8:1-5: It is so awesome how God is using our youth and children to proclaim His praises and Word!!!!

Proverbs

Proverbs 3:13-18: Look at all the blessings of wisdom and understanding. In Hosea 4:6, God said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” This is why you have made a commitment to the Wednesday Discipleship classes. Look at the blessings of growing in wisdom and understanding! Wow!!!

New Testament

Matthew 10:21-42: Many great statements by Jesus – don’t miss one of them!! This is the price to follow Him 100%. Don’t be ashamed to let people know you are a Christian; just remember…actions sometimes speak louder than words.

Old Testament

Genesis 27:1-28:22: Here we find Jacob living up to his name; ‘Jacob’ means to supplant, and supplant means to take something by scheming or deceiving. Anytime we try to get things for ourselves by scheming and deception, we end up bringing grief and sorrow to our lives. We may get away with the deception for a while but it will eventually cost us greatly. We always need to let God help us through prayer, and trust Him that every situation will eventually work out for our good.

In Genesis 28, we find God moving on Isaac’s heart to speak a blessing upon Jacob. If you have children, have you spoken a blessing upon his or her life?

Esau was upset at what his father had done and rebelled against him. Always remember that rebellion is the same as the sin of witchcraft. (1 Samuel 15:23) If you have rebelled against any authority, repentance is necessary. (Romans 13:1-3)

We also find Jacob’s God given dream in Genesis 28:12-22. Jacob sees angels ascending and descending on a ladder that reaches into heaven. What he saw affected him in such a way that he committed to give God a tenth of all he would possess (Genesis 28:22).

Angels are sent by God to minister to those who have received salvation, and are in covenant with Him through Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 1:13-14)

In Malachi 3:10-11, God says He will open the windows of heaven on those who tithe. I believe that when we tithe, God sends the angels just like Jacob saw, to arrange the blessings, the increase, and the favor of God in our lives. If you are not tithing, you are missing numerous blessings God desires to give to you.

Psalms

Psalm 7:9-17: Why is God angry with the wicked? Look at verse 14; ‘wicked’ means ‘an actively bad, immoral, and ungodly person.’

Psalm 7:15-16 shows us the result of being wicked. Scary!!!!! (Romans 1:18-32)

But thank God for His salvation through Jesus that even the most wicked person can be saved and changed by the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit!!!!!!

Proverbs

Proverbs 3:11-12: He corrects us by His Word. He wants us to take responsibility for our actions and repent if we are disobedient.

New Testament

Matthew 10:1-20: Before Jesus sent out His disciples, He first called them to Himself. We must first establish our relationship with the Father, and then He will send us out.

Old Testament

Genesis 25:1-26:35: In Genesis 25:21, Isaac prays earnestly for his wife, who was barren in her womb. The word used is “pleaded”; it means to worship, pray, and to supplicate (to pray humbly but fervently and earnestly). Barren means unproductive, depleted, fruitless, childless, and impoverished. If you find yourself in any condition that relates to any of those definitions, then pray and seek God to change your situation; don’t settle for anything less than what God has promised you in His Word. 2 Corinthians 1:20 states that all the promises of God are Yes in Jesus!!!! (Luke 11:5-10, 18:1-8)

In Genesis 25:24-34, we see Esau did not treat his birthright with proper respect, and sold it for a pot of stew because his flesh was dictating his decision. When you or I make decisions based on our flesh, impulses, emotions, and feelings on the spur of the moment, we can make long lasting, hurtful, and devastating decisions. When we allow our flesh to dominate our decisions, we are disrespecting our birthright given to us by God, when we received Jesus as our Lord. (Romans 8:12-14; Galatians 6:7-9)

Chapter 26 is loaded with nuggets!! It starts out with an economic depression. Isaac wanted to go to Egypt but God tells him not to go, to stay right where he was, and that God would bless and protect him!! It is amazing when we have tough times, we can sometimes decide to do things that are contrary to God’s Word, and His leading, which can cause some heartbreaking results.

Notice in verse 12 that Isaac sowed in the middle of famine, and reaped a hundredfold in the same year. (Mark 4:20) Don’t let outward circumstances affect your sowing and giving; God will bless you if you sow. (2 Corinthians 9:6-11) It’s not what you keep that God multiplies; it’s what you sow and give.

Psalms

Psalm 7:6-8

Proverbs

Proverbs 3:9-10: Honor and respect the Lord with your tithe (the first fruits of your income); He will fill you, and there will be overflow.

New Testament

Matthew 9:18-38: The woman with the issue of blood gives us the principle of faith, and how to apply it. She made a declaration of what she was believing, she acted upon it, and she received what she believed. (2 Corinthians 4:13)

Notice in Matthew 9:23-26, Jesus spoke what He believed, and He was ridiculed for it. Therefore, He put the crowd outside. There are times you will have to put doubt and unbelief out of your mind, so you can see the power of God.

In Matthew 9:34-37, the religious folk were jealous and envious of Jesus’ ministry, so they attacked Him verbally. But Jesus kept on helping people that were sick and hurting. There are still plenty of sick and hurting people today, and we have the power of the Spirit of God living in us to pray for, and help them. Jesus said the harvest is great but lacking help. What are you doing to help? Be a part and get involved with your church!!!

Old Testament

Genesis 23:1-24:67: Notice the favor that Abraham received from the people of that land to have a place to bury Sarah. God causes favor to abound to those who belong to Him. (Psalm 5:12; Psalm 89:17; Psalm 106:4; Proverbs 11:27) Favor means excessive kindness, preferential treatment, and divine goodwill.

Thank God everyday for giving you supernatural favor in all you do! Confess that favor surrounds you like a shield, and that everywhere you go, you are blessed and highly favored!!!!!

Genesis 24:1: Notice that God had blessed Abraham in “all” things. Remember Psalm 1:1-3, Abraham’s key to his blessings from God; and it is our key as well.

Genesis 24 is also an analogy of how God sent the Holy Spirit to get a bride for His son Jesus, and how He has showered us with His precious promises and blessings. Abraham sent his servant to receive a bride for Isaac.

Psalms

Psalm 7:1-5

Proverbs

Proverbs 3:7-8: Depart and God will impart.

New Testament

Matthew 9:1-17: Matthew 9:2 declares that Jesus saw their faith; faith can be seen because of James 2:17-18.

Jesus came to seek and save those who were lost (Luke 19:10). We must have the same desire and focus.