SERMONS FROM THE BOOK OF GENESIS BY REV MIKE JONES
BEING FAITHFUL Gen 2:15-17
WHEN TIME RUNS OUT Gen 6:1 8
DIFFERENCE OF DOTHAN Gen 37:13 28 and II Kings 6:8 17
SIN Gen 3:
SIN Gen 3:
JACOB: Transformed Transgressor Gen 25-50
A LIFE CHANGING CHOICE Gen 13:5 18
SATAN'S STRATEGY Gen 3
MY THREE SONS Gen 4, Gen 9
REMEMBER HIS WRATH Gen 6
When God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden He gave him something to be accountable for:
Adam was given a definite Place to Work- the Garden
Adam was given a Definite Job to do- Guard and Grow
Adam was given Definite Guidelines- Eat all but one
Adam was given a Definite Punishment- Death
Seems simply enough doesn't it? Everyone Knows What to Do, Where to do it, How to Do it, and what will result if they don't do it. Why then do so many wander aimless thru life without purpose, plan, or peace? The sad truth is "People don't do what we expect. They do what you Inspect". Most people substitute the "Necessary" for the "Important" because they are called to account for the Necessary. One of the keys to being effective then is in being held accountable-Which is a major problem in churches: Attendance at services and during Sunday School is "Optional". Students are never asked to account for the amount they learn thru tests. Income is on a "Volunteer" system. And many people are unaware of what the Church is trying to accomplish and how it hopes to do so. [The only two "measuring rods" presently used in most Churches are attendance and offering. A Church that increases these is said to be successful- or vice versa].
Why do we shy from accountability so much? Fear- We like to be held accountable, because we like to be recognized for what we do. Yet we are afraid to be held accountable for the same reason. Probably the two most common Reasons given for not being active in Church are: 1) Fear of Failure- "I don't think I can do it". [Tom Edison tried many many times before he invented the light bulb. Abraham Lincoln was defeated many times before he finally won- and became President) (2) Fear of Fatigue- We don't want to add another responsibility to an already overworked schedule (Priorities are VERY important here)
1. There are certain responsibilities for which we are accountable because of WHO we are-
A) Family [Parents are accountable for how they train their
Children (Not what they become), Children must honor parents]
B) Society [Laws are necessary for the good of the many]
C) Personality [Some people accept or reject responsibility because of their nature] (I can live in a dirty office as long as it's productive, my wife wants it clean before productive- we feel accountable for different things, thus we work differently)
2. There are certain responsibilities for which we are accountable because of WHAT WE BECOME-
A) Jobs [Employees must work, Employers have responsibilities]
B) Marriage: husbands [must love their wives], wives [must respect their husbands]
C) Education: Pass it on to the next generation
3. There are certain responsibilities for which we are accountable because of WHY WE EXIST- Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. When we face God we must be able to give an account to Him about our:
A) Faith- Without Faith it is impossible to please Him
B) Finances- Did we steal God's part? Misuse our part?
C) Faithfulness- Did we hid or bury our talents?
The Primary rule of Accountability is ACCOUNTABILITY ASSUMES AN ABILITY TO MEASURE. If we are to be accountable we must have GOALS in order to measure our progress and GUIDELINES to channel our Journey.
I. HOW SHALL WE ESTABLISH GOALS? ("Good Goals are my Goals and Bad Goals are your Goals!!").
A) God's Goals- Find out what God wants and then do that.
B) Group Goals- Goals set by the group to allow them to accomplish what Glorifies God and benefits the Group.
C) Individual Goals- How can a person accomplish what is right for him that will benefit the Group and bring Glory to God.
Those who will accomplish the goals must be allowed to help set the goals. There must be input as well as instruction.
II. HOW SHALL WE REACH THE GOALS? (Someone must be in Charge; with the knowledge, desire, determination, and authority to carry the project thru to it's completion or abandonment [Some goals are changed by circumstances- help for a widow who remarries or dies...]. This leader must:
-Know the Goal
-Give Complete and Clear Instructions to those who will help
-Anticipate Problems, and handle them when they appear
-Recognize "Stacking" (One person's performance is dependent upon another's performance)
-Seek to continue to get input? As you build you recognize the need for modifications or additions. -Accept responsibility to guide the program thru its difficulties and doldrums?
-Recognize when the Goal has been accomplished and reward those who helped in doing so.
Now let's Practice what we've preached:
LIST YOUR GOAL(S) FOR OUR CHURCH FOR THIS YEAR:
1. IN SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
2. IN PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
3. IN "PEOPLE" DEVELOPMENT
LIST YOUR GOAL(S) FOR YOUR WALK WITH GOD THIS YEAR:
1. IN SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT:
2. IN BIBLICAL LEARNING:
3. IN PRACTICAL LIVING:
ARE YOU FAITHFUL TO THE TASK GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO; OR FEARFUL OF FACING GOD BECAUSE YOU'RE FAILING IN YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES??
[Part of this message was adapted from the January 1988 edition of "Christian Leadership Letter"]
I. JOINING- sons of God married daughters of men
Luke 17:26 27 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the says of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Family- "they took them wives of all which they chose" Marriage became a form instead of a foundation
Flesh- "For that he also is flesh" Man became so involved in SELF and it's desires until he lost everything. You must learn to say NO to self and YES to the Spirit.
Famous- vs 4 "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
II. JUDGMENT vs 3 My spirit shall not always strive with man,
Reason- "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually"
Repentance- GOD not man!!! It grieved God that He had made man. Removal- "God said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them." There comes a time when God finally says He will not put up with sin anymore- iniquity of Amorites was full and everyone was to be destroyed. Israel would not listen and so faced death and captivity.
II Pet 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
III. JOB Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
D L Moody said "I look upon this world as a wrecked vessel. Its ruin is getting nearer and nearer. God said to me, "Moody, here is a lifeboat. Go out and rescue as many as you can before the vessel sinks". In the same way today we are called to Prepare for His coming, Preach to the World, and Pluck sinners from the wrath to come.
Need a Consistant Effort. Worked and preached for 120 years.
A Combined Effort All Noah's family worked Bring them in 2 X 2. Can't save all but save what can. I cannot Promise you "Success". Noah won no one; but I can promise you the Peace OF God here and Peace WITH God hereafter.
A Caring Effort- Noah was the LAST MAN ON EARTH TO DO THE JOB
This time it was water, the next time it will be fire. Are you in the ark???
In these two scriptures we have 2 men who met destiny at Dothan and yet each of them is different- In Genesis, Joseph is captured by his brethren, and sold into slavery. In II Kings, Elisha is surrounded at Dothan but God sends Chariots of fire and delivers him. WHY?? Why is one delivered and the other sold into slavery?
There are 4 basis principles we can learn from the Differences at Dothan:
1. We cannot pattern our lives after others. Dothan may be our captivity or it might be our deliverance- what works for one man does not work for another. Ezra could not request an army to protect him when he journeyed to Jerusalem but Nehemiah could (Ezra 8:21 and Neh 2:9). George Muller fed over 2000 orphans and never asked for a penny- yet many others have tried and failed (They tried to imitate Muller instead of obey God).
2. We cannot insist that others pattern their lives after ours: Elisha could have said that Dothan was a place of Capture if he had followed the example of Joseph. Peter was told that he would die for the Lord and he tried to get John committed to the same thing but Christ rebuked him and said HIS plan for John was the best (John 21:22), (God does not even deal with us the same way always. Satan could not get thru the hedge around Job but God allowed him thru. David slew a giant but was driven from Jerusalem by his son. Daniel could spend the night in the Lion's den without hurt but he had to die in Babylon and not Jerusalem. Paul was delivered from the
shipwreck but he was beheaded in Rome).
3. We cannot judge God's love for us by outward circumstances: Because Elisha was delivered and Joseph was not does not mean that God loved Elisha more. Take the example of Peter and James- Acts 12:1 3 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. James is killed, Peter is delivered- God loved them the same. William Carey was one of the great missionaries in the history of the world as he carried the Gospel to India. He lived a normal life and died at his duty. David Brainard was one of the greatest praying men in the world- he died at 29 at the peak of his work.
4. We must look beyond the "Dothan" in our lives- Elisha delivered an army- Joseph was used of God to save a nation (AFTER he was faithful in Temptation and thru Trials)!!
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune,
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries
Your "Dothan" may be different but God is the same. Allow Him to use YOU in the way that is best for YOU.
Why is life filled with Troubles and Trials?? Why is there sickness, and sorrow, and death?? Why do are thousands of dollars and multitudes of hours spent in Churches talking about Revival, Witnessing, and living so as to be ready to Die?? The answer to all these questions is one little 3 letter-word; SIN. Surely something that affects us so drastically in this world and the next needs to be examined.
I. SIN'S RINGLEADER- Satan/Lucifer; the angel whose beauty was so great until he decided to challenge God for authority over the earth.
A) He appeared as an Angel of Light- The Hebrew for Snake is the "Shining One". He was beautiful to behold.
B) He was more Subtle than any other (Gen 3:1)- He knew a "half-truth" was better than a Bold lie. Tennyson wrote, "A lie which is all a lie, may be met with, and fought with outright, But a lie which is part a truth, is a harder matter to fight". The Method Satan used is still in practice today:
1. He questioned Eve's understanding of God's Word- "Hath God Said" James tell us that if we don't have wisdom to ask God
2. He Denied God's Word- "Ye shall not surely Die"
3. He substituted his own word- "Ye shall be as gods"
[That Pattern has been repeated over and over through the ages. Men have said, "God's word is right but only certain people can understand it"; then they say, "It doesn't really mean what it says. A God of Love couldn't mean that Hell is a reality"; until finally they say, "Every man should be able to do what he thinks is right. God will surely accept that!"].
II. SIN'S REASONS. Why did Eve listen to Satan??
A) Curiosity- "Ye shall not eat of EVERY tree of the garden". Like the Prodigal son, Eve felt like something good was being denied her. As one writer put it, "The Grass is always greener over the septic Tank, but what will happen when the roof falls in!". Curiosity killed the cat; and it won't do you any good either! Satan implied that God was "keeping" something from Eve and by doing so called God's love and care into question. [Multitudes of people today seem to think that the Church is trying to keep them from having a Good time while the world really loves and wants the best for them].
B) Rebellion against Authority- "Ye shall not surely die"- You can break the rules and get by with it. Prov 20:17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel. You will reap what you sow, with interest. You can't "get by"
C) Self Gratification- "Ye shall be as gods". Puts "ME" on the Throne where I can "do my own thing". So many people spend so much time trying to "discover themself" and find they're rotten thru and thru.
D) Desire of the Flesh- "good for food, pleasant to the eye". It doesn't LOOK bad; in fact it looks like it might be nice. Sin has always worn the best clothes possible before it gets it iron grip in you.
E) Pride- "A tree to be desired to make one wise". This is something that will make me special and it's something I need to check out. Sin does teach you a lot of lessons, none of which end up being fun when final exams come up!!
III. RESULTS OF SIN-
A) In the Person's Life:
1. Shame- "They knew that they were naked". A Classic "morning after". I've never seen anyone hide their face in shame over coming to Church but I've seen numerous "dodges" over Saturday night.
2. Self Effort to Cover Up- "Sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons". Like all sinners they were DEALING WITH THE FRUIT AND NOT THE ROOT of the Problem. Their nakedness was not the problem; the Sin that had caused them to see the nakedness was!
3. Hiding from Help- "Hid themselves from the presence of the Lord". Jesus said, "They will not come to me that they might have life". People ought to bang down the Church doors instead of Christians having to beg them to come and find eternal life.
4. Break down in Communication- "Adam, Where art thou". You turn in on self and let depression and despair take over. You think noone else has ever had the same problems or circumstance you have.
5. Fear- "I was afraid because I was naked"
a. Fear of facing the problem
b. Fear of Public condemnation
6. Blame Shifting-
a. The woman THOU gavest me- She made me do it but it was really YOUR fault for giving me such a wife.
b. The SERPENT beguiled me- I wasn't as smart as I should have been (Which, of course, is God's fault for not giving me enough wisdom). How smart do you have to be to obey??
B) In Their Relationship with God-
1. Cursed:
a. Serpent- crawl on belly, hated
b. Woman (Deceived)- Under man with pain of Childbearing
c. Man- Earn living by sweat of brow
2. Death:
a. Spiritual separation from God immediately and then forever
b. Physical death to come
IV. SIN'S RANSOM-
A) An Innocent's Blood shed for a Covering-
B) Faith is God's way of restoring the sinner- A messiah will come and you must live in Faith.
Will you allow Sin to ruin your life and send you to Hell?? Or will you come to God by Faith in Christ today?
Why is life filled with Troubles and Trials?? Why is there sickness, and sorrow, and death?? The answer one little 3 letter-word; SIN. Surely something that effects us so drastically in this world and the next needs to be examined.
I. SIN'S REASONS. Why did Eve listen to Satan??
A) Rebellion against Authority "Ye shall not eat of EVERY tree of the garden". Like the Prodigal son, Eve felt like something good was being denied her. As one writer put it, "The Grass is always greener over the septic Tank, but what will happen when the roof falls in!". Curiosity killed the cat; and it won't do you any good either! Satan implied that God was "keeping" something from Eve and by doing so called God's love and care into question. [Multitudes of people today seem to think that the Church is trying to keep them from having a Good time while the world really loves and wants the best for them].
B) Belief that you can beat the system- "Ye shall not surely die"- You can break the rules and get by with it. Prov 20:17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel. You will reap what you sow, with interest. You can't "get by"
C) Self Gratification- "Ye shall be as gods". Puts "ME" on the Throne where I can "do my own thing". So many people spend so much time trying to "discover themself" and find they're rotten thru and thru.
D) Desire of the Flesh- "good for food, pleasant to the eye". It doesn't LOOK bad; in fact it looks like it might be nice. Sin has always worn the best clothes possible before it gets it iron grip in you.
E) Curiosity- "A tree to be desired to make one wise". This is something that will make me special and it's something I need to check out. Sin does teach you a lot of lessons, none of which end up being fun when final exams come up!!
III. RESULTS OF SIN-
A) In the Person's Life:
1. Shame- "They knew that they were naked". A Classic "morning after". I've never seen anyone hide their face in shame over coming to Church but I've seen numerous "dodges" over Saturday night.
2. Self Effort to Cover Up- "Sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons". Like all sinners they were DEALING WITH THE FRUIT AND NOT THE ROOT of the Problem. Their nakedness was not the problem; the Sin that had caused them to see the nakedness was!
3. Hiding from Help- "Hid themselves from the presence of the Lord". Jesus said, "They will not come to me that they might have life". People ought to bang down the Church doors instead of Christians having to beg them to come and find eternal life.
4. Break down in Communication- "Adam, Where art thou". You turn in on self and let depression and despair take over. You think noone else has ever had the same problems or circumstance you have.
5. Fear- "I was afraid because I was naked" a. Fear of facing the problem
b. Fear of Public condemnation
6. Blame Shifting- a. The woman THOU gavest me- She made me do it but it was really YOUR fault for giving me such a wife.
b. The SERPENT beguiled me- I wasn't as smart as I should have been (Which, of course, is God's fault for not giving me enough wisdom). How smart do you have to be to obey??
B) In Their Relationship with God-
1. Cursed: a. Serpent- crawl on belly, hated
b. Woman (Deceived)- Under man with pain of Childbearing
c. Man- Earn living by sweat of brow
2. Death: a. Spiritual separation from God immediately and then forever
b. Physical death to come
IV. SIN'S RANSOM- A) An Innocent's Blood shed for a Covering-
B) Faith is God's way of restoring the sinner- A messiah will come and you must live in Faith.
(SS Lesson for Grace FWBC 10-21-90 Handout)
Chapter 25-27 DESIRE FOR THE PROMISES-
Birth- Promise: "Elder shall serve Younger". Grabbed Heel
Birthright- Purchased for a Bowl of Soup (Family Leader, Double)
Blessing- Obtained by Deception (Spiritual Will)
Chapter 28-31 DECEPTION'S PENALTIES-
Bethel- Forced from Home he found the House of God- Wallet
Business- 2 Deceivers trick each other over wives and Business
Boundary- When there is no trust you must draw boundaries
Chapter 32-36 DIVINE PRESENCE-
Bribes- Trusting in his riches instead of God's Protection
Blessing- Wrestling changed walk and Name (Jacob to Israel)
Bethel- Disobedience brings Disaster to Daughter before returning to
the House of God and renewing Covenant
Chapter 37-50 DEATHLY PAINS-
Brothers- Jealousy leads to deception about Joseph's Death
Bondage- Joseph the Slave becomes the Leader while Jacob and his
boys become slaves to a famine.
Burial- Jacob finally seeks God's will before he has to read his
will. He is buried with Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and
Rebekah, and Leah in a cave in the land of Canaan.
LESSONS FOR US:
1> God honors Divine Desire
2> You Reap what you sow
3> God guides our lives down some strange roads {And when we walk down our own roads He must do the best He can with the mistakes we make!}.
The chapter begins with Abraham coming up from his backsliding in Egypt to return to the altar (Find God where you left Him). While in Egypt Abraham gained Gold (That divided his family) and a Girl (Hagar - that still causes trouble today!!). He lost Time, Testimony, and, eventually, his nephew Lot (Took Lot out of Egypt but could never get Egypt out of Lot). Young married couples need to be aware of this. Upon returning to Canaan they found that their riches were causing them problems and a choice had to be made. This choice affected the rest of their lives. Let's look at choices and see how important they are and how we should make them.
I. THE IMPORTANCE OF CHOICE
A. Adam chose to disobey God and all of makind suffered - Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
B. Noah chose to believe God and built an ark to the saving of his house - and saved mankind.
C. The rich young ruler chose riches over Christ and as far as we know today rolls in the torments of Hell - affected eternal destiny.
The 3 most important decisions in a person's life are generally made by the age of 25: 1. Mate: Ahab chose Jezebel and Israel went into captivity, Solomon chose wives and left God (Unequal yoke) 2. Job: Determines place you live, standard of living, etc. 3. Salvation: The older you get the harder your heart becomes and the more difficult the choosing.
II. HOW CHOICES ARE DETERMINED
A. Others: Taxes, cost of products (Which determines your ability to buy)
B. Conviction: Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Daniel chose not to defile himself with the king's meat and changed the course of nations.
C. Circumstances: Location of job determines you must have a car, Ability means you must sing or sew!
This is the reason for the choice facing Lot and Abraham - Circumstances brought about conflict and a choice had to be made. The Choice was clear: They had to choose between being guided by the flesh or by Faith.
WHY GOD REQUIRES CHOICE:
A. To separate Chaff from Wheat - Many are called but few are chosen. Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into Heaven but he that doeth the will of God. God wants to see the genuineness of your Faith - Faith without works is dead being alone.
B. To bring God Glory - Many people think they're "self-made": (Like rich fool) and God must bring them to the place that they recognize that God is God and we are the servants.
Gideon's Army - 32,000 to 10,000 to 300
David had to choose stones over shields to walk by faith, (Otherwise just another battle).
Lot chose the way that SEEMED right but was all wrong.
THE REASONS FOR LOT AND ABRAHAM'S CHOICE:
1. Lot –
A. Based on Sight: lifted up eyes and saw NOW instead of the future (Well watered valleys would soon be destroyed by fire!)
B. Based on convenience: Like the land of Egypt. Lot wanted a ready-made life instead of an earned one. He was more interested in land than the Lord and the easy life became his "god".
C. Accomplished by "Easy stages" - Lot journeyed east a step at a time. (Away from Abraham's restrictions, rules, and righteousness) Multitudes of people make the same mistake - They choose to live for the here and now and sell their souls for a bowl of soup (Esau).
2. Abraham - Faith in God's word.
THE RESULTS OF THE CHOICES:
1. Lot - Lost of Family (He chose to Play in sin, They chose to Plunge into!) Lost of Fortune
2. Abraham - Fellowship with God around the altar
Riches of God - Lot claimed all HIS eyes could see. Abraham claimed all GOD'S eyes could see.
YOU TOO NEED TO MAKE SOME CHOICES THAT WILL HAVE LONG RANGE EFFECTS:
1. To accept the Lord as Savior - Deut 50:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life, and death; blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.
2. To accept the Lord as Lord of your life regardless of what others do. Josh 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose ye this day whom ye will serve but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
100 years from now what choice would you have wanted to make??
3 men hung on crosses: Jesus died for sin - By choice!
One chose to mock - today in hell - thinking only of self and now
One chose to repent - today in Heaven
Paul told the Corinthians that he wanted to inform them of Satan's Strategies Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Cor 2:11). Sadly today, it seems that many people are ignorant of WHAT Satan is trying to accomplish (The destruction of everything and Everyone that is connected with God); as well as HOW he is trying to accomplish it.
I want to go back to the original example of the Devil's Deception in Genesis 3:- and use some examples as recent as this week's newspaper to show that this continues to be his strategy (Note that this was also his method with the Son of God nearly 4000 years after the Garden of Eden- Matt 4:1-11).
Let's see how Satan works at destroying us and then let's avoid his pitfalls, tune out his lies, and get as close to God as we can.
1) CONFUSION ABOUT GOD'S WORD- Gen 3:1-4. The first thing Satan did was to ask Eve, "Did God REALLY say that you shouldn't eat of EVERY tree in the Garden?". The first worm of doubt Satan places in a person's mind about the Bible involves having to defend God's Word against normal logic ("Surely if it's right to eat one fruit, it's right to eat another"). Remember the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18). God doesn't think the way man thinks and the natural man receives not the things of the Lord Jesus (I Cor 2:14).
Let's look at the Friday, August 30 front page of the "Florence Morning News"- "Censorship in schools getting worse, First Amendment advocates claim". In the article, "People for the American Way", an antiGod group headed by Norman Lear claim censorship because some parents objected to their children reading books depicting incest and containing Anti-Christian material.
Censorship is the key word here. These people say that if religious people had their way then even books like "Huckleberry Finn" would be banned. They think it's fine that schools are basically banned from using (and, in many cases, even reading!) the Bible but they don't want anyone telling children they can't pollute their minds with the trash of the world. And it begins by saying, "If you censor the really bad things then you'll end up censoring the good things also". Satan's strategy is still at work!
After Confusion, Satan tries DOUBT- "You shall not SURELY die". Another article on the front page of Friday's "Florence Morning News"- "Sexual Preference Biological?". The tone of the story suggests that it's a proven scientific fact now that men become Homosexual because of a difference in their brain; regardless of what the Bible says. What they fail to realize is the fact that the Bible backs up this theory!!- And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Rom 1:28).
Then on the section "B" front page the headline screams, "Researcher: Paddling more harmful than beneficial". This article gives the impression that this "Expert" has found that God's guidelines about corporal punishment are all wrong. The fact that he heads an organization opposed to corporal punishment is given no significance. He's an "expert" and as such certainly knows more than God!!
More and more, Society is teaching you AND YOUR CHILDREN that man is god while God is old fashioned and out of date. What can you do to battle this strategy of Satan??
a) Read the Bible- Satan doesn't mind you owning a Bible as long as you don't read it! Make your Children read it. Have Family Devotions where the Bible is read and discussed.
b) Use the Bible- Give your children guidelines based on the Bible; and let them know that's where they came from! Base your life on what the Bible says instead of what the "Experts" believe. Stress the fact that Sunday School, Prayer Meeting, and Church attendance are more important than any Public School activity.
2) CONCEPTION THAT YOU'RE MISSING SOMETHING- Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Even among Church members the belief is common that you ENDURE Church things while you ENJOY things in the world. Every Church service is not "Great" and "Fabulous"; just as every meal in a home is not grilled steak or ice cream. Sometimes all you have is "Meat and potatoes"; but even "meat and potatoes" are good if you're hungry!
Davey Allison is sitting on the pole for today's Southern 500 (I imagine they have more in attendance than we do!). If he wins he will get over $294,000 ($80,000 for winning, $114,00 for winning from the pole, and $100,000 for winning part of the Winston Million). But more important to him is the praise and adulation of race fans and the TV audience.
Atlanta Braves fans are sore armed from "Tomahawking" right now while dreams (that may become nightmares!) of championships dance dizzily in their head.
People are continually looking for some new form of "rest and relaxation". More and more of them take place during Church or require that you miss Church in order to attend. And more and more people act as if that ache in their heart can be healed at a race track or ball park instead of in a service devoted to worshipping God. Some how Satan has convinced people that the answer to worldliness is found in wallowing in the world instead of commitment to Christ.
3) CURIOUS ABOUT FORBIDDEN FRUIT- Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. Curiosity is a Natural and a Powerful part of Human Nature. We can't ignore problems like Sex, Drugs, and Peer Pressure. We need to talk about how God is better than these problems openly and honestly (Don't get too graphic, For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret (Eph 5:12); but let them know they can talk to you about these things).
Someone is going to satisfy the curiosity that people have. We can bury our head in the sand while TV shows and trashy newspapers tell the wrong side of these issues. Or we can show how the Bible is just as relevant for a Madonna video as it was for sin in the camp of Israel.
Satan is out to destroy you. Will you listen to his lies; or come to the one who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life- Christ.
Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD (Gen 4:25-26)
The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth (Gen 9:18-19). {NIV}
As we begin our year long journey thru the Word of God, it is important to remember that we are on a "sight-seeing Pilgrimage"; not a home steading project. We will pass over hundreds of years of history in a week's time and we can't stop at every interesting event along the way (That is why we do Character studies and Book Studies). So "Buckle your seat belt" and let's try to get the high lights of this amazing journey.
We began Reading the Bible New Year's Eve with a look at the creation of the earth and the destruction of Sin. Today we are going to see how mankind was dispersed over the face of the earth and how God deals with a serious sin problem.
In the midst of that, we are going to see WHY God uses certain people. We are also going to see the long range effects of decisions we make; both on us and those we love.
The way we'll do that is to look at the 3 sons of 2 men. Each of these sons is a unique individual; and each plays a key point in the progress of civilization-- as well as Salvation.
THE THREE SONS OF ADAM
a) Cain ("acquisition" or "Given")- A type of the natural man, depending on his own abilities and wisdom for righteousness.
"but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast." -- Gen 4:5
i) The CHARACTER of Cain-Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. (1 John 3:12)
ii) The WAY of Cain- Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion. (Jude 1:11)
iii) The SONS of Cain- (Great Achievements but away from God)
Enoch, the son and the City: God told Cain to be a Wanderer but he built a city and named it for his son (Determination to make and continue his name) - Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. (Gen 4:17)
Lamech, the beginning of Polgamy (2 wives) (Against Marriage)
Jabel, Nomad herdsmen
Jubal, Musicians
Jubal-cain, Metal tool maker
The most awful thing that can be said about Cain was that Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (Gen 4:16)
b) Abel- A type of the spiritual man who accepted God's word and way and came to God by Faith. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead (Heb 11:4)
c) Seth- Little is known of him except his continuation of the Godly line and his prayer (During his day, men began to call on the name of the Lord).
THE THREE SONS OF NOAH
a) Shem- The Godly line of Israel
b) Ham (Canaan)- The corrupt line
c) Japheth- The line of Gentiles
The curse of Noah- Noah did not cause Ham, or his child Canaan, to become corrupt. A "Curse" by someone else cannot control your behavior, UNLESS YOU ALLOW IT TO. You are still a free moral agent and have the ability to make choices.
Noah simply saw in a corrupt tendency in the line of Ham that would eventually lead to nations so corrupt that God would have them completely destroyed by Israel as it entered the promised land.
1. Same Parents, different characters
2. While every person has to answer for themself, the sins of the fathers effect the character of the children.
Everyone is very conscious today of God's Mercy (Hallelujah, it is greatly to be praised!). They even talk about His Love for sin and sinners (But every parent knows how actions and attitudes can cause love to dim sometimes). Something that is seldom mentioned, however, is His wrath. Yet the Bible devotes much more time and space to descriptions of His wrath than it does to Mercy and Love (Compare the length of First John to Revelation).
Today I want to look at three specific incidents of His Wrath. In doing so, I want to Motivate Christians to Evangelism, help Christians with Encouragement, and scare Sinners with Enlightenment about the coming Wrath they will face.
The Three Specific Incidents we want to look at are
1- Noah and the Flood (Gen 6:1-8; 7:6-11)
2- Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:1-26)
3- The Church and the Tribulation (Jer 30:7 II Thess 4:15-17; I Cor 15:50-52; Rev 14:9-11)
In each of these Incidents Three Facts stand out:
I. MORALS EXTINGUISHED-
-Gen 6:5 Sons of God married daughters of men (Changing God's Plan)
-Gen 13:13 Men with men working that that is unseemly (Changing
God's Purpose for Sex- Pleasure instead of Replenish the earth)
-Rev 13:15 Man tries to replace God (Changing God)
It is interesting to note how Jesus referred to what was going on in Noah's day- (Mat 24:37 39) But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
The same thing is happening today:
Common life goes on- Eating and Drinking, marrying-giving in marriage
Moral Anchor slips- Sins lose their shame and become "normal"
Majority leads down the wrong path- Only Noah stood for right.
Morals Matter to God. Do they matter to YOU???
II. MERCY EXTENDED- Noah-120 Years of Warning, a Week of Waiting
Lot- Abraham Prayed, Lot Warned by angels
Rev- Preaching, Witnessing, Warning by church until it is raptured away. Today is the Day of Salvation!
III. WRATH MANIFESTED- EVERYTHING not in Ark Destroyed
ONLY Lot and 2 Daughters spared
Over 1 Billion people will die in the very first part of the Tribulation.
God's Wrath is coming- It will bring either Death or Tribulation. You can wait and experience the Wrath or you can come during His mercy. No one can make that decision expect YOU. And your time is fast running out. Get in the ark; I can almost hear the sound of rain drops beginning to fall!!
Gen 6:1 8 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Gen 7:6 11 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. 7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
1 Cor 15:50 52 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Th 4:15 17 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Rev 14:9 11 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Gen 13:13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.