G. Campbell Morgan, When Jesus saw [the friends] faith, He said to the paralytic, Son, your sins are forgiven you. He pronounced a severe judgment on them, telling them that all of the men 20 years of age and older would not enter into the Promised Land due to their lack of faith and belief in Him to be able to accomplish this mission for them, and because they had notwholly followed God., However, God then states that He will allow Joshua, Caleb and all the men under 20 years of age to go in there to conquer and possess the land all because they had adifferent spiritin them and because they would be willing tofollow God fully.. Its not even you who stopped. In Genesis 34, though God is not mentioned, we know he is present, but he seems to be present for judgment. 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. The patriarch Isaac could have written that book about his father, Abraham. 2. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. A life of obedience to God is evident to others because they can see that you dont do what others in the world do. Temptation. Application Question: In what ways have you witnessed this growing trend of parents neglecting their children by not loving them, disciplining them, and setting boundaries for them? We need the understanding that comes from the Spirit of God because we sometimes face situations where we dont know what to do. Youll notice that there are people who are joyful, despite some things they are going through, and you wonder how they do it. Consequence #1: You're out of God's will. The benefits and results of walking with God now and forever far outweigh the sacrifices we make today to spend more time with Him. The beautiful imagery of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 lets us know that the new earth will be a place that reflects the glory of God throughout. Ezekiel looked up and saw remarkable visions of Godthe throne of God surrounded by angelic beings. In the same way, when things are good, we tend to neglect God and fall into sin as well. Abraham had flaws. The humanity of Christ, while at the same time divine, is hard to understand. 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. In the ancient world, sexual immorality was a part of religious worshippeople would have all types of gross sex to please the gods and seek prosperity. Henry Morris says, Unattached young women were considered fair game in cities of the time, in which promiscuity was not only common but, in fact, a part of the very religious system itself.3 This was particularly true of the Canaanites, who were corrupt and known for their sexual immorality (cf. Also, because sons were favored over daughters during that period of time, Dinah might have been his least favorite. Jacobs sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully when they spoke because Shechem had violated their sister Dinah. We hear God speak through His Holy Spirit, Who dwells in us. Jonah was a disobedient prophet. J. Vernon McGee, The Lord your God cares. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. We often hear about the benefits of waiting on God, but what about the consequences of NOT waiting on Him? Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of the Lord. He can turn around our lives, churches, and nations. This was to be a perpetual sign of their covenant with God for generations. Isnt it great to know that the Lord is by your side, and if you are on the wrong path, He will redirect you? Our lives cannot be made perfect without our walk with Christ. He sent warnings and prophets to guide them. Or is it things below? Application Question: In what ways have you seen or experienced the growing promotion and acceptance of sexual immorality in society? Walk the plank! When he failed to confess his sin to God, his bones grew old and he groaned all the day long (verse 3). Then the Lord said: I have pardoned, according to your word because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. Hebrews 11:5 says that Enoch was known as a man who pleased God. That is why Scripture is of paramount importance. At the time of this instruction, Abraham was already working for God but most probably had not surrendered himself to God's deep relationship. Turn off the TV! That is the first step to getting right with God. In the narrative, Jacobs only daughter Dinah was raped by a prince in the land of Shechem. 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. This is the world we live in, and sadly, these acts of violence will at times be seen amongst the church. Let us consider them and be warned, which, no doubt, is the narrators purpose in sharing this story. 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. We have spoken of this fellowship in our treatment of the third verse. It is obvious that working for God is not good enough. We live in a society that wears impatience as a badge of honor. That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. Their father or mother wasnt around or involved for whatever reasons. 2 Peter 3:9. Please give her to him as his wife. For more, log onto, 8 Habits That Are Destroying Your Walk With God, responsibility to take care of the Lords business, commit your entire being to knowing the will of God, they knew the One in whom they had placed their trust. . None of us is above God's discipline if we engage in sin. California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. I know this 5-day Devotional Email Series will be a huge step in faith. It happens gradually. Consider what he says to his household and all who were with him, Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you. When God is neglected, the abuse of religion will be comprehensivedeveloping many false believers and false teachers. Commitment keeps you going even when you dont feel like praying or reading your Bible. Eventually, Solomon stopped seeking God, and he started . But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. It was as if it wasnt a big deal. But Enoch did not waver in His faith. Q. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. When Paul says heartless (Rom 1:31), it can also be translated without natural affection (KJV). They captured as plunder all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses. But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God. As the entertainment world promotes violence, our young people will become even more violent. 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. Religion was also abused for vengeance. Receiving revelation (living understand) of the Word. Let us marry your daughters, and take our daughters as wives for yourselves. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. That means I have to melt away the things that have made my heart hardened by continuous quality time with the Lord. Working for God without walking with Him will not give our works the desired value. Why do parents neglect their children, other than the fact theyre neglecting God? When People Let You Down: Dealing with Disappointment. The story of Enoch teaches us that we can also walk with God and benefit from this walk if we have fellowship with God daily. You can place your steadfast trust in Him. But if you do not agree to our terms by being circumcised, then we will take our sister and depart.. How should it be remedied? Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. The people that suffer most when you're not doing God's business are your close family. What It Means to Be Clay in the Hands of the Potter, 5 Principles for Biblical Decision Making, 40 Bible Verses for Navigating Gods Promises and Blessings. We'll start to question our decision and wonder if we made a wrong choice. 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. forms: { For twenty years of hostile service in Haran, God protected and prospered Jacob. The Pharisees made a career out of separating themselves from society. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. } Posted on Last updated: December 28, 2018. In addition to this, after the rape, Jacob is quiet and uninvolved. I pray for awareness and discernment over every detail of my life. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid . It is because of the benefits and results we experience when we walk with God now and forever. Joshua had the confidence and courage to lead Gods people into the Promised Land because He believed in Gods promise and presence. But thankfully, Scripture gives us illustrations: Like us, Jesus suffered, experienced hunger, required sleep, ate food, and had limits on His knowledge (Mark 13:32). Satan tries to sidetrack anybody with a spiritual interest. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you can ask that every promise given to you by God in His Word, be fulfilled in your life. Did you have this in your life when you had to withdraw from things? It is much harder to be faithful to God in ease than in difficulty. He favored Rachels children over Leahs. Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Moses had flaws. Our human wisdom has no comparison with the wisdom of God. Human authors would not have added this story. Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. In 2 Samuel 11, we learn the story of how David spied the beautiful Bathsheba bathing on the roof and just had to have her. In this narrative, Jacob didnt only fail Dinah, he also failed his sons, who committed unjust murders. I LOVE trusting Him. (1 Jn. Whatever you love more than God is your idol. But his love for foreign women made him disobey God. 18The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire,and the women knead dough, tomake cakes forthe queen of heaven. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Scripture taken from New King James Version. Luke 6:12. Think of every promise as a precious stone. The story is tragic. Big Question: What are the consequences of neglecting God, as demonstrated in the Genesis 34 narrative? With that background, Paul exhorted believers not to make the same choices the Israelites madenot to provoke God's discipline by willfully sinning. How can we tell that Jacob and his family neglected God? Those who work for God but do not walk with Him do not have a deep relationship with Him. When we have a relationship with God, He puts His Spirit in us, who then gives us divine wisdom (Colossians 1:9). Enoch walked with God and entered . Only God can move you from confusion to clarity. Thats the way He cares for us tooevery day, all year long, always. Often God has to do the same with us. A good idea is not always a God idea so you need wisdom to determine the God ideas. THE CONSEQUENCES OF WALKING WITH GOD. There are many benefits of being in a relationship with God. In Romans 1:28, Paul adds: And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. When people neglect God, their thinking becomes depravedleading to depraved actions. They said the enemies were too big and that their kingdoms were too well fortified. (1) They dont establish appropriate boundaries for them. The moment we resolve to stand strong and walk away is when temptation grows most intense. Please help Betsy complete her mission "Books for Souls." Then he became very attached to Dinah, Jacobs daughter. Office 19170, POBox6945 And it also happened to Jonah: The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time (Jonah 1:1) and then the second time (Jonah 3:1). By thus walking with God the soul contracts a holy intimacy with Him. James 2:23. Many unbelievers have vowed not to come to Christ because of this group of workers. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed (Deuteronomy 31:8). Oh, to see the glory of the Lord while in the midst of the disappointments in life. This would have led to compromise and the Israelites further adopting the sins of that culture. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and avoid the pressures of this ever-changing world? Living our lives with God in it, makes things easier and gives us hope. Jacob had flaws, and the Israelites had flaws. We have victory now and for eternity only because of the victory Christ won for us. Instead of justice, they seek vengeanceturning many away from Christ. Just give me the young woman as my wife!. His calling is to take the gospel to where no one has neither preached nor heard about Jesus. In what ways is God drawing you back to himself through discipline? David had flaws. November 2, 2020. Gods promises are yes and Amen,when you walk with God,He fulfils his promises unto your life, Much blessed by the articles ,its purely the word we need, Am very grateful to God and to the author for it really helped me in my day to day life, I have achieved allot more blessings I pray. When there is no discipline in the home, the children will disrespect and rebel against the parents. It's easy to get misled by your own thoughts and emotions of what's right or wrong. Profit has eroded their sense of mission and integrity. Since God's people weren't spending time with Him daily, they could not hear or see how much their lives were being consumed by sin. When we declare Gods promises into our lives, they manifest and bless us tremendously, and the glory goes to God. 1. Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. Psalm 32:4. When God is neglected, parents neglect their responsibilities to their children. Most likely, they further explained the symbolic nature of circumcision. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 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. This is also common in society and church when God is neglected. He will use tragedy in a persons life, family, or nation to draw people to repentance. Because of our human nature, we can easily be overwhelmed by troubles, especially, when they stay with us for long. From a human perspective, adding this story makes no sense. Is it things above? 1 Bruce Goettsches sermon from Genesis 34, When God Is Absent, accessed 5/25/2018 from http://www.unionchurch.com/archive/101099.html. Though redeemed, believers still have a sinful nature that must be subdued by living in the Spirit (Gal 5:16-22). The activities of those who claim that they are working for God but are not walking with Him have brought shame and reproach to the body of Christ. As a Christian speaker, I teach the practical steps for renewing your mind, growing in faith and discovering your God-given purpose to help you live an abundant and joyful life. Thomas Watson, Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Walking with God. God gave him a second chance. 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. Anyone who walks with God desires to do things for Him because it brings a fulfillment that no other work does. Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you? A major fall away from God doesnt happen at once. Use your imagination to see every word of Scripture turning to gold as you read it. Verse Concepts. (1) Sometimes religion is used for financial gain. I wonder how many Christians have missed out on entering into their Promised Land this side of heaven all because they failed to fully follow God and take the path that He wanted them to take in this life! We have a purpose for being hereto refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. 26Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear,but stiffened their neck. Rather, we should think of it soberly and realisticallyhumblyand minister accordingly. Verse Concepts. God's actions at the Tower of Babel demonstrate how He brings confusion when we make decisions . Purify yourselves and change your clothes (v. 2). God stopped being their priority and there were terrible consequences because of this. The benefits and results of walking with God far outweigh a life of not walking with Him. Jonah 3:1-2. Many people have walked away from the Lord and are not concerned about it. The sins of the parents show up in the childrens lives and therefore are repeated (cf. The passage 1 Samuel 13:13-14 shares the consequence for not waiting on God: You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. Instead, the Lord sought a new King to replace Saul. Paul says when people dont acknowledge God, it leads to murder, hostility, insolence, ruthlessness, and even approval of such evils. A tent or a cottage, why should I care? We may not realize it, but walking with God is so much better than walking without him and here is why. London, United Kingdom, W1A 6US. Have you found it helpful to know The Benefits and Results of Walking with God? J. C. Ryle, I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure. Andthey pour out drink offerings to other gods,to provoke me to anger. Ready to take your faith to the next level? Fish become entangled in discarded fishing nets and lines, with bellies full of plastic debris they have swallowed. 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. This also is vanity. "Woe to the rebellious children," says the Lord, " Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who walk to go down to Egypt, and have not asked My advice, to . Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( God will not honor our impatience. 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