Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #10140 - Love is the Compelling Motivator - Genesis 29

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#10140 - Love is the Compelling Motivator - Genesis 29 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's word with pastor and author.
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Ed, Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora,
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Colorado to learn more about the many resources available,
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through abounding Grace Media or to tune into our live stream
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Services. Visit us online at Calvary, Co
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dot church or download our free Calvary Church app.
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Now, here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
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Amen. Amen.
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Take your Bibles open them to Genesis chapter 29.
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Genesis chapter 29, the tide of our Bible study is love.
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Is the compelling motivator, love is the best motivator.
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Don't forget that. Always remember this.
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God is on the throne, he rules and Reigns.
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He's not surprised by what's happening in our lives.
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He's not shocked, it's all unfolding exactly as he foresaw
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and foreknew he has a plan in place that's being worked out in
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our lives. He has your life right where he
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wants it. It's not outside of his power.
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The same is true for this broken family that we're studying here
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in Says this broken family of Isaac and Rebecca, they were
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shooting for the right thing, but going about it, the wrong
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way they're going to pay and high price of the consequences
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for their sinful decisions. And with Sinners always
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devastating consequences, God doesn't bless sin.
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He doesn't bless sin in any way or compromise, we learned it's
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unwise and yet through it all, Jacob is blessed and he's on his
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way out hiding from his brother who happens to be angry and
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murderous because of that, I can affects everyone differently.
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And there we find. Jacob, and verse one, he went on
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his journey and he came to the land of the people of the East.
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Before we get into the text a little bit deeper, there are
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some that commentators and Bible scholars that, look at this,
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with this time with Jacob. It's a 20-year detour in his
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life as we look back. He doesn't know it yet.
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You know, he doesn't know how long this is going to last or
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what's going to happen in the future.
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But we look back and see. This was a Your detour in his
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life and some look at this and say Jacob, they see it as a
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season of God's punishment in his life for treating.
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Esau so poorly. And while there are
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consequences, he's going to endure from that decision.
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The next 20 years of his life are going to be filled with some
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of the most happiest blessed, fruitful years of his life and
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even so in the difficulty, there are trials and there are Six and
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there are troubles. But here's the reminder for you.
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Like, even if you're dealing with some of the consequences of
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decisions, you've made in the past, like God there is still
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blessing even among the consequences.
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It things might be harder than they could have been and but
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there's nothing, we can't regret.
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We can't would of, or should have, or could have, that's not
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going to get us anywhere. And yet, here with Jacob, we
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learned that these are normal things, you have troubles, you
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have conflicts, you have trials, that's normal.
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That is a normal part of the Believers life.
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Even with consequences, God is still at work in Jacob's life.
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Don't forget this, he is still at work, it's behind the scenes.
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Jacob doesn't always see it. But, you know, you don't either
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you don't always see what God is doing behind the scenes when
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he's fulfilling Romans 8:28. Working all things together for
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the good, for those that love him.
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Do you love him? Yes, or no.
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Do you love him? God is at work in your life.
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And even if you have a lapse of Faith, even when it's your
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faithless, God remains faithful, he's at work, even in.
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And especially in those times when you think he's not, God is
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working behind the scenes. Part.
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Part of the work, really, most of the work is forming and
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shaping and preparing the character of Jacob.
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This beloved A Arc we learned last time in chapter 28 Jacob
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has this dream and he's overwhelmed by the presence of
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God and I was overwhelmed by verse 16, he comes to this
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conclusion, surely the Lord is in this place.
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The God is with me, but I didn't know it.
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I wasn't aware of it. I wasn't paying attention to it
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and Jacob he continues on his journey.
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He's excited, he's recharge. God has met him at So, and
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notice in verse 2, he looked. And he saw well in the field and
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behold, there were three flocks of sheep Lying by it for out of
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that. Well, they watered the flocks a
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large Stone was on the wells mouth and now all the flocks
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would be gathered. There, they would roll the Stone
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from the wells mouth water, the sheep with the stone back in its
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place on the wells mouth and Jacob said to them, my brethren.
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Where are you from? And they said we are from her an
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and then he said to them do you know they even the Son of nahor
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and they said we know him and so and you know that could have
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been a different for we don't always get the tone of voice.
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It could have go oh we know him. All right but they we know him.
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Yes we know him you're going to get to know him really soon
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here. Jacob in verse 6 so he said to
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them is he well and they said he's well and look his daughter.
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Rachel is coming with the sheep and then he said, look it's
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still high day. It's not time for the cattle to
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be gathered together. What are the sheep?
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And go and feed them but they said we cannot Hard until all
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the facts are gathered together and they have rolled the Stone
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from the wells mouth. Then we will water the Sheep.
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Jacob has had this amazing experience with God and it's
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re-energized him. It's excited.
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Him, literally in speaking of chapter 29, when he goes on his
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journey, the the idea behind the Hebrew language here, is he
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lifted up his heels. He's full of joy, he skipping
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along. He's very excited that he'll be
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getting a bride and he's also just had a dream where God
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encouraged him and strengthened him, he's happy that God is with
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him. We too can be happy.
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The Lord leads him in this process, right to the flocks of
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Laban. And at the end of verse 6, we
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find that Rachel is now coming toward him.
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And as we continue to read of the story, in chapter 29, it's a
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wonderful love story. Jacob, just encountered God, he
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will soon meet his match with Laban, but in between he falls
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in love with Rachel. Love at first sight and all
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along. God is leading him and guiding
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him and directing him which reminds me.
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Those of you the men and women that are single today to
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continue to pray for the perseverance to wait upon the
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Lord. Not only, will he go You and
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lead you, but he is guiding and leading you jot this first down
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and might be a promise for you. In Psalm 37, in verse 4, it says
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delight yourself also in the Lord and He Shall give you the
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desires of your heart, delight yourself in the Lord.
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Jacob he falls in love verse 9 notice.
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Now while he was still speaking with them Rachel came with her
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father's sheep for. She was a shepherdess and it
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came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban
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his mother's brother Other. And the Sheep of Laban his
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mother's brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the Stone
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from the wells mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's
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brother. Then Jacob kissed, Rachel lifted
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up his voice and wept. Jacob.
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Told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he
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was Rebecca son. So, she ran and told her.
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Father, Rachel comes near Jacob jumps into action, the sort of
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show off in front of her, he's He impressed with her, he wants
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he wants her to feel the same about him, he serving her, which
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was not what men usually did. He was going out of his way to
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impress her. He kisses her which is a
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customary greeting. It's nothing romantic or
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passionate about it, and she ran away from him.
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The perfect response. She takes off to Dad and it's
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like a typical schoolyard romance.
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A boy, gets excited. Over a girl, does a little
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showing off gets the nerve to kiss her.
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On the cheek and then she runs away.
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But more. So is going on here that God is
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working behind the scenes. He's bringing them together.
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She's off to tell her dad notice in verse 13.
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Then it came to pass when Laban heard the report about Jacob,
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his sister's son, that he ran to meet him in braced him and
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kissed him and brought him into the house.
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So he told Laban all these things and Laban said to him,
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surely you are my bone and my flesh and he stayed with him.
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For a month, no doubt. If you've read ahead, you
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realize that Laban is not an honest man, I'm Jacob the
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conniver. The heel catcher has met his
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match with Laban as you'll see later and here no doubt Laban is
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processing what he can get out of Jacob money.
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Possessions the last time he was connected with Abraham, he saw
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all the gifts and money. So Jacob stays there with A
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month, near Rachel. All of this is going on and we
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are now entering into a very challenging season.
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This is, we're going to get some insight on this challenging time
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and Jacob slide at Bethel the house of God.
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Jacob was communing with God, but now in laban's house, and
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you see this contrast here at the house of God, exciting
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encouraging. But now in laban's house, he
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will encounter serious difficulties.
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He's Going to school. If you will, what we would call
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the School of Hard, Knocks, anyone else?
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Attend a university of Hard Knocks.
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Got a couple degrees. You're a master's, a doctorate,
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from the school are noxee. So ahead.
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I'm still studying. I know life's lessons through
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the difficulties. Truly do teach us every
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believer, I think is enrolled in this school at one time or
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another. Moses was there.
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David was there? The apostles are there.
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It's going to be a very challenging time.
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He's there for a month and then Laban after a month verse 15
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said to Jacob because you're my relative.
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Should you therefore serve me for nothing?
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Tell me what should your wages be?
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Doesn't take long for Laban to step in and begin his schemes in
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the month. And that month Laban likes what
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he sees in Jacob's life. He's impressed.
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Jacob has a hard worker. He's very skilled, the anointing
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of God, I believe is upon him, so he offers him to take
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advantage. You know what?
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Jacob doesn't know. He's being taken advantage of as
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we see it unfold, but he's going to offer him some employment
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verse 16. Laban had two daughters.
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Is the name of the Elder was Leah.
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And the name of the younger was Rachel and Leah's eyes were
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delicate or some of your Bibles, might say week.
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But Rachel was beautiful form and appearance.
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Now, there is some debate on what this means with her eyes.
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However, we can gain from the context that there's a contrast
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between the daughters. There's a contrast between
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Rachel being described as a beautiful form and appearance,
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but Leah's has this contrary to Action of her eyes.
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And we have already met the shepherdess, Rachel one of his
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daughters but Laban also has this daughter Leia with these
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interesting eyes. Now, some, their options with
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her eyes. Some believe that that's a
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reference to colored eyes, which were not popular in that day or
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blue eyes, which was not good for a woman in the Middle East,
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because the attraction was the customary dark eyes.
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It would have made her stand out a little unlike today.
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It could also mean that the features of her face weren't
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Very much that she wasn't a beautiful form or appearance but
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I found this interesting first time I ever saw this one of the
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commentators I wrote red suggested that Rachel and Leah
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were Twins and out of this relationship, Rachel had this
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more stunning appearance being twins.
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We don't know. Except that there is a contrast
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and even if there wasn't a contrast in any outward
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description, we already know that Jacob was Is highly
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attracted and connected to Rachel.
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She is the one that he desires, he she is the one that he
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believes is for her or for him, Verse 18.
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Now, Jacob loved Rachel and he said, I'll serve you seven years
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for Rachel. Your younger daughter and Laban
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said, it's better that I give her to you, then I should give
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her to another man. Stay with me.
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And so, Jacob served seven years for Rachel.
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Now, that's some commitment. I'll serve you and work for you
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and my wages your daughter, and she's worth seven years.
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And Jacob has fallen for Rachel, head over heels and Laban, of
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course, plays upon that he senses that takes advantage of
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that and says, it's better for her to be your wife deal.
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Now understand what's happening here it's on its unspoken but
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very customary, the working of seven years would become the
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dowry. It would be what he presents,
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which was very customary. A dowry a dowry was a large, sum
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of money, and it was sort of, like, alimony in advance for
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four marriages. If it didn't work out, you're
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removing some someone from the home, obviously, in this
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agrarian society, she was a shepherdess.
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So that was her job to work for Dad and take care of the family
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business. So, to remove her from that, and
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then have her in a new family. Care of the another family
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business. There would be a cost to that.
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What's Happening Here is that the Dowry for her was
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established at seven years of wages and if anything went wrong
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and she had to return home. That Dowry would cover any of
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the expenses for that failed marriage.
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What this is even though it's not customary today, what this
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is, you could say next to this, this seven years was a huge
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commitment, it was a commitment of marriage.
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Age. This was something that was not
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taken lightly. A large commitment was involved
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before marriage took place. We certainly don't see it that
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way today. But we do believe this the
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principle stands true. I believe, marriage is a huge
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commitment. In the eyes of God, it is not
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merely a piece of paper or what the government is created.
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In terms of a marriage that is common law.
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We get that question often as common law marriage The same as
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marriage in the eyes of God, and the answer is no common law.
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Marriage was created to protect the innocent party.
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When that relationship of shacking up ends and 99.9% of
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the time, common log marriage was intended to protect the
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woman in the children when the guy leaves and it does not
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replace the commitment of coming together as one in Christ before
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God and man, it doesn't replace. The commitment where you make
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publicly with your own lips through sickness and health
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riches through being rich or poor that I'm going to stand by
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you. We are going to go through thick
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and thin before God and man. Marriage.
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The first marriage was done before God, and you could say
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that he officiated it. And today, marriages are now
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officiated by an authority, within the church, a pastor, you
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know, in our own State. And I know this Bible study goes
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out around the country. I'm not certain about states
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around the country, but I know our state in our state it is not
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required. That a pastor is involved in a
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marriage. It's not required that a pastor
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not, not I should go back. Cause you know, Pastor doesn't
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need to be ordained. All they can say, is there a
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passenger on? Don't need to have any kind of
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authority from a church. You don't even need a pastor.
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You actually in state of Colorado, you don't need anybody
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to marry you you can go down get a piece of paper.
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Look you in the eye by yourself in your room, all by yourself.
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Look hey, do you want to marry me?
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Yes. Do you want to marry me?
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Yes. You sign on the dotted line and
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you turn it, you send it in. That's all that's necessary.
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And of course, we are living in a time in a culture, where
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marriage is being demeaned. It's being Um devalued its being
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redefined. Everybody can do you know the
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world can do what it does, but it will never the world can
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never undermine the definition of marriage as God has ordained
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in his word. It's one man.
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One woman, one lifetime, one flesh, of course there are
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exceptions to that. Unfortunately there are times
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where divorce takes place and that's always unfortunate and
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painful. There are times where there is a
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spouse that pass Is a way a widow or widower but the ideal
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of God is one man. One woman, one lifetime, one
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flesh in him. It's a large commitment.
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So here at Calvary, if you desire to be married, within the
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context of this Fellowship, we require you to do premarital
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period. You must sit down and talk about
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your marriage before it happens. That's the best time to talk
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about things, you know, before the commitment.
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Aunt, and to be open and honest about anything in your past.
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Anything you might be presently struggling with anything that
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may have been happening open. And honestly about the family,
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you were raised in or perhaps the foster care system that you
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were in or anything that is fashion and formed you with a
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Bible opened and some tools that we provide some homework to do
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truly when you participate in premarital here, most of the
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work is the work that you do. Do not us, you do all this
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homework and then you come in and meet with a pastor and they
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talk about the things that might have been revealed and help
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guide you through what marriage is and what it looks like and
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especially if you're getting remarried, you know, in a
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situation, talk through and through these things.
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This is no small. This is no small thing.
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You must remember that I wonder if I'm speaking to some that
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have divorce on the table right now.
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They already have the papers or the lawyers number or the gals
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at work are going divorce, the jerk and the guy guys at work or
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going lever, you can get better and you're like, oh, maybe know
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your commitment is to the Lord and to your spouse.
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So get some help. I recently received an email
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from a spouse that mailings and and said, you know, my spouse
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won't get any help. What am I supposed to do?
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That's a great question. Ask I'll tell you exactly what
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you're supposed to do. You go get help.
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You don't need to wait for anyone to agree for you to get
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the kind of stamina and strength that you need, because you're
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the one asking for help. So make an appointment at sit
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down and start praying. Get those get away from the
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people that are giving you bad advice and get some people
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around you that will pray with you and pray for you that when
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you're weak you you call them and you won't believe what
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happened today and instead of going get rid of them, you're
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going to get on the other line. Well let's pray.
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We need to pray. We need to seek the Lord.
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Yeah. But you don't understand how
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hard it is. You're right.
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That's why we need to pray double.
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So sit down. Will you wherever you're at sit
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down and let me pray for you. Let me intercede for you.
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Let me have some faith for you and this season, let me stand in
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the gap for you because I know I can introduce you to some people
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I can and I can introduce you to a couple of different people.
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I've met in the life of our church one is that I can
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introduce you to some that abandon their marriage and they
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regret it. They didn't seek the Lord, they
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didn't pray and they're living with the consequences of
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difficulty is that if they knew what they knew, then what they
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know now, they would have made a different decision.
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I can I can enter, I can give you access to a few people like
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that but you know what? I'd rather give you access to
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people. That said, I did, wait it out
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and look what God has done here. We are and let me introduce you
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to my spouse. Let me tell you the story.
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Let me share with you. And, you know, my spouse is not
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even ready. She's not even ready.
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Told the whole story, but I'll tell you this much because this
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much is enough for you. To know that God still works in
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difficult situations, seven years working, you know, I we
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it's a little foreign we. This is one of the accusations
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people who are, you know, the Bible doesn't make any sense, it
21:43
does. Well, it doesn't make any sense
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to unbelievers. Did you know that the Bible
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doesn't make sense to those that are apart from Christ?
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The Bible can only be understood as illuminated by the Holy
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Spirit, but then even then, you know, born-again Believers.
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They're reading through and go, how archaic working for seven
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years, perhaps in different culture, different today, but
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there's principles and things, you don't quickly dismiss.
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So you look at this seven years ago, I can't believe that I
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would what kind of value for what.
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There's you can think of all the rejection all the resistance to
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this, right? But if you just step back a
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second and understand the life that they live step into their
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story, understand what they saw. You could see that what this
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really was was a large commitment.
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It was a value upon the relationship.
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It was Jacob, I guess you could say it this way.
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And what woman would not want to hear this from their fiancé,
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what man would not want to hear it from his fiancée and basic.
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You could say, Jacob is saying this.
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I love her so much that I will do whatever it takes.
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So that I might marry your daughter.
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I'll make any change needed, I'll work and do whatever you
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want. He doesn't know he's being
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played by leaving right now but you know what, he doesn't care.
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He loves Rachel. And you'll do what's necessary.
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Why? Because he loved her.
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Love was motivating him. I love what it says here in
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verse 18 now. Jacob loved Rachel and he said,
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I'll serve seven years and Laban said it's better.
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I give you the verse 20, Jacob served seven years for Rachel
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and they seemed but a few days to him because of the love he
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had for her. And if they do this as a
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cartoon, you know, the eyes are filled with hearts and they're
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looking at each other and he's like, I'm not, I don't even this
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isn't. A about my calendar.
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This isn't about calluses on my hands.
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I love the woman. And I'll do whatever it takes.
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It was just like a few days to him.
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That's some commitment. I really love this verse.
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All the years went by so fast. I think of those of us that have
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been married and you look back and you you're not newlyweds
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anymore. You've been together for a long
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time and I'm telling you if you're not there yet, you will
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you look back and go man, it went by so fast.
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It just went by so quickly. It's just filled with love and
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he was like look back you're like wow this is beautiful but
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it goes by so quickly and this motivation that Jacob has it
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speaks to us about the love that we have in serving the lord.
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It's a greater story than Jacob and Rachel.
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The real story is you and Jesus It's my love relationship with
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Jesus where the bride of Christ, he gave Jesus gave all for us
24:50
and our response is to be moved by love.
24:52
Do you know, the highest motivator on the planet?
24:55
Earth is not money or success or notoriety or accolades or
25:01
attention or celebrity or guilt, you know, a higher motivator
25:06
than guilt even his love. It's the greatest.
25:12
The highest motive, the greatest motive to serve the Lord or to
25:16
do anything in his name is Love, jotted down while we haven't
25:21
earned we don't earn much. Go over to Second Corinthians, I
25:23
want you to see this in your Bible.
25:25
Just turn all the way the New Testament you can mark this
25:28
verse maybe today, God has you in a season where you need to
25:30
memorize this, hide this in your heart, so that it might speak to
25:35
you in a deeper way. Second Corinthians chapter 5.
25:38
When you get there, get to verse 14.
25:42
I'll give it to you in the new King James but also in the new
25:45
living, I love both. And I have this remember church.
25:49
I highlighted my Bible in different colors.
25:52
Yellow is General. Orange is the deity of Christ.
25:55
Pink is the deity of the Holy Spirit.
25:58
But green, remember, green is a go verse for me.
26:02
I have just a few verses highlighted in green because it
26:05
reminds me, this verse will greatly help me serve the Lord.
26:09
And so Mom, I'm looking at it right now and it's in green and
26:12
it says this for the love of Christ, constrains Us, because
26:19
we judged us that if one died, then all died and he died for
26:22
all that those who live should no longer live for themselves.
26:26
That's what loved us that those who live should no longer live
26:29
for themselves. But for him who died for them
26:32
and rose again, that word, constrained can also be
26:36
translating the NLT controls. The love of God controls me.
26:42
Why do I do what I do? Because I am loved by God.
26:45
And in response I love him. Him.
26:48
I'm compelled. I'm constrained.
26:52
It means to be pushed and pressed, and urged forward.
26:56
I like that phrase love urges me forward.
26:59
When I want to retreat, when I want to quit, when I want to
27:03
throw in the towel when I'm just done and I'm ready to move on.
27:07
It's the love of God that constrains me.
27:09
And it's the love of God. That is the Eternal motivator
27:13
when everything else fails loves moves us.
27:17
It encourages us Us it urges us to steady on, in the things of
27:22
Jesus. It leads us to say things or to
27:25
think things like this. Where else am I going to go you
27:29
alone? Hold the words of eternal life.
27:32
What else what does this world offer for me?
27:35
What could this world possibly give me?
27:38
That would be greater than the self sacrificial?
27:41
Love of Messiah who shed his blood for me and rescued me out
27:46
of the pit put my feet on a solid rock.
27:48
Rock. Put a new song in my heart.
27:50
Praise be to God. It's the love of God that
27:54
constrains us. So, listen prizes will run out.
27:58
Popularity, Fades Pride will destroy us, power will
28:03
disappear, positions will fail, but God's love continues and it
28:09
steady jot it down. First Thessalonians chapter 1
28:13
and verse 2. In the NLT.
28:16
It says this. We always thank God for all of
28:19
you and pray for you constantly. And as we pray to our God and
28:23
Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving
28:27
deeds and your enduring. Hope that you have because of
28:32
our Lord, Jesus, your loving Deeds.
28:35
We serve the Lord. We love him.
28:37
Why? Because he first loved us he is
28:40
always the initiator. We always are the responder.
28:45
If you ever try to initiate something with God, you'll be
28:47
greatly disappointed because the motivator will not be loved.
28:51
It's a response to the love of God.
28:53
It's a response to Beth-El. How are you?
28:56
And if you take this application in your life, how are you going
28:59
to make it in laban's house? A type of the world where the
29:03
world will manipulate you. And take advantage of you and
29:07
guilt, you and use you and discard you, that's laban's
29:12
house. How will you ever make it in
29:16
laban's house? Well, by remembering Bethel by
29:20
being in God's house. The house of God by remembering
29:24
the Lord is in this place. I didn't know it, but I know it.
29:28
Now I'm reminded God has spoken to me.
29:32
Pastor Chuck Smith, he comments on this section and I quote love
29:37
it, by the way, I mentioned, pastor Pastor Chuck Smith a lot.
29:40
He's the man that God used in beginning, the Bobby Chapel
29:44
family of churches. So many years ago.
29:48
If you want a real small Insight on what that look like, you
29:52
should watch the movie now, Jesus Revolution, it's on, it's
29:56
on. It's streaming now and you can
29:57
get the DVD, I just got the DVD and delivered to my house and
30:03
it's a beautiful, they did such a great job and if you read any
30:07
criticism about it they'll eat it.
30:09
It's not, they're not accurate. It's a beautiful rendition of
30:12
the work of God. Like when they were baptizing
30:14
there at Pirate's Cove, I was there.
30:17
Sizing there as well. Like it's the real deal watching
30:20
lives transform, it's really amazing.
30:22
So that that would be a great Insight.
30:24
When I mention Pastor Chuck, he has a great, he has a great
30:26
place in our heart because one of the ways that we were trained
30:29
and you can do this too, that's why I'm mentioning it.
30:31
The one of the ways we were trained in Ministry is that we
30:34
went through. The whole Bible, verse by verse
30:37
studying under Pastor Chuck Smith back in the day, we had to
30:41
buy 330 cassette tapes in boxes, and listen to One by one and
30:50
this time to turn the tape over and, you know, I had an old
30:53
Walkman that I had to stop it, flip it out, turn it around, put
30:56
it back in. But then I got a new Walkman
30:59
where I could just hit a button and it and it would take me to
31:01
the other side, but now you don't need to do that anymore
31:04
because some of you are going cassette tape.
31:06
I'm going to Google that. What is that?
31:08
There is a free app where most of all has Bible.
31:12
Studies are available. It's called the word for today
31:15
if you're really looking to grow and Excel Tolerate your
31:18
spiritual growth. I commend to you and and I asked
31:23
you and I like you really want to build like - with the
31:25
ministry here then listen to the 3000 Series.
31:30
It's on there. You'll see it 3000 Series of
31:33
Pastor Chuck. Smith's teachings on the word
31:36
for today app. Make it a regular part.
31:39
I still listen to him and he's on Grace FM at noon every day.
31:42
So you can listen to them. That's the teachings that you
31:45
will hear. He has a lot of different
31:47
topics. Topics.
31:48
So, when I quote him, that, this is, because we all were
31:52
discipled by him by extension while I didn't serve with him.
31:55
Personally, I studied under him and I still listen to him every
31:59
week. Every week, I received the word
32:02
of God from, here's what he says, and I quote, We're all
32:05
going to stand before the Judgment seat of Christ.
32:08
And what will be judged are the motives that are behind the
32:12
things that I did. Now again, connecting it back.
32:16
The love of God, compels me, moves me, urges me, and here's
32:21
another word motivates me. So when we stand before and what
32:25
motivate me, what motivated me to do it was it the love of
32:30
Christ. That constrain me as Paul said,
32:34
or was it the love of attention? Or the love of Applause or the
32:39
love of awe and power. Is that what motivated me?
32:44
He goes on to say. So that my works, the Bible
32:46
says, will be judged by fire. Many of them will just go up in
32:50
a puff of smoke, but Lord, he says, I pledged a thousand
32:54
dollars. They danced all over TV, is they
32:58
read my name? God will say great, you had your
33:01
reward. It's sad but there's going to be
33:05
a lot of disappointment. He says that the Judgment seat
33:07
of Christ because people will discover that they were doing
33:11
things with the wrong motivations.
33:14
We will receive the things that are done in our bodies,
33:16
according to that, which we have done whether it be good or bad
33:21
in quote, And it has been and continues to be a constant
33:25
prayer of mine that the family here at Calvary will continue to
33:29
be moved by love. To abound in works of Faith
33:35
labors of Love or is the NLT, says loving deeds.
33:40
And patience of hope that will change.
33:44
Test me on it, Pastor test me as a pastor.
33:46
I'm going to speak to you with the authority that God given
33:49
Authority that I have. Is the pastor of this church.
33:52
You test me on it. If you're tend to be a more
33:56
critical person than pay attention a week of how much
34:01
your criticism and what it motivates you to do in the Name
34:03
of Christ, just pay attention. Take a little Journal,
34:06
motivating me to be nasty. Motivated me to be mean,
34:10
motivated. Me to be upset motor me to be
34:12
frustrated and just see what it does.
34:15
Just pay attention. And then the next week, say
34:17
okay, I'm going to take the challenge and just ask God, God
34:20
would you move me for your love? Would you just envelop Me With
34:23
Your Love? Would you just show me?
34:24
How much you love me. And and I'll just bask in the
34:27
shower of your grace and your mercy and your love, and then
34:30
tell me how kind you are the next day.
34:33
How patient you are with someone else's mistakes, how quick you
34:37
are to ask for forgiveness, and admit you're wrong.
34:40
I mean, test me on it and it may not be criticism.
34:43
It could be any fleshly Endeavor.
34:45
Yeah, well, I'm motivated, I'm really working hard, so
34:48
everybody can know me. I think of some of the pastor's
34:50
is nothing. I want to be the next celebrity
34:52
Pastor, man. It ain't they're no big deal.
34:58
It's better to be at the hob, bedside of someone in the
35:00
hospital praying for someone who's child's on life support
35:04
than it is to be some celebrity pastor and you know, they'll
35:07
forget about you trust me. They'll forget about you, your
35:11
name will fade there always be a new celebrity Guy, They'll
35:14
always be a new thing in town. You know?
35:16
I was thinking this recently, I was talking to somebody, they're
35:19
talking about another church in town, that's super popular.
35:21
And just really attracting a lot of people and I said, yeah,
35:25
that's that's a good thing. It's a good.
35:27
Good thing. A church is attracting new
35:29
people. They're new in town and they're
35:31
doing a great thing and let's rejoice in it and one of the
35:34
reasons why is because I tell him, you know, we were the new
35:36
church in town for a while there.
35:39
We were new and God was doing a fresh work in us back then, and
35:43
we were the new church in town and God was attracting people to
35:45
this church. And guess what lives are being
35:47
changed. People are getting saved
35:50
families are being rescued and so it's great but we're not the
35:53
new church in town anymore and that's perfectly.
35:56
Okay. For a firm or new churches in
35:58
town because the church that's attracting all that attention
36:00
right now. They won't be the new church in
36:02
town for very long either. They'll be another one.
36:05
So there's just pray for good churches and pastors of love our
36:08
community. Unity that want to sacrifice and
36:11
it's okay for new churches in town.
36:13
Just don't want to be it. That's the key.
36:19
Pastor leader Elder. If your motivation is to be the
36:23
next hip thing in town, it's going to fade.
36:27
Because the next hip thing in town, you know what it's
36:30
replaced by the next hip thing in town and that you can never
36:34
keep up. But one thing I found in my 20
36:37
almost 24 years of being here in Colorado, now Jesus is always
36:42
hip and always relevant. He's always going to touch those
36:48
that have a heart to follow him, he's always going to receive
36:52
you. If you come to him, he's always
36:54
going to rescue families as surrender to him.
36:57
He's always going to do a work in the inside.
36:59
He's going to honor the commitment.
37:01
You make, he's going to bless you and encourage you and
37:04
transform. You into the image of Christ.
37:07
He's going to be with you, in your trial, and your difficulty
37:10
in the hospital. At the funeral home, he's going
37:13
to be with you. He's going to comfort, you and
37:18
weather right now. Someone listening to me right
37:20
now, we're the new thing in town and look how many people are
37:22
coming. Remember what Jesus said to his
37:24
disciples and they came back to him after being sent out, you
37:27
won't believe Jesus, what's happening, man?
37:30
This is amazing. And they gave all these flowery.
37:33
Testimonies of the dynamic work in the spirit, I'm paraphrasing
37:37
now. But what does Jesus tell them?
37:40
No, no, don't don't be too excited about that.
37:42
Just be excited that your name is written.
37:45
In heaven. That's something to be excited
37:48
about. You know, people are going to
37:50
come and go, They're gonna be excited, they're going to
37:52
applaud you, they're going to crucify you like whatever.
37:56
Get your eyes on the Lord, and let love motivate you.
38:00
I have that privilege of speaking of pastors all the
38:02
time. So any Pastor listening in, you
38:04
know, don't be, don't be so excited.
38:06
You're the biggest church in town or your the headline or
38:09
you're the fastest growing church and whatever.
38:12
Like, just serve the Lord disciple, your people prepare
38:17
them for the coming of the Lord Maranatha even so, come quickly,
38:22
teach them how to love their neighbor.
38:25
Teach them how to walk in love. That's where the ministry is.
38:29
Yeah. But then nobody will know about
38:30
me. Don't worry about it.
38:32
Your name is written in heaven, and I think on a smaller scale,
38:35
right? You go Ed.
38:36
Okay. You're talking to pastors.
38:37
What about me? All right.
38:39
What about you? Don't serve to be known or
38:42
applauded or to somehow get an award, you know, to have your
38:47
name plucked up on the church around here.
38:49
If you've been here long enough, you'll see there aren't any
38:52
awards here. Thank you for this chair.
38:54
So and so, you know, thank you. We bought a whole row, you know,
38:58
we bought a whole, we bought the whole section, maybe you did,
39:01
but only God knows that that be enough.
39:05
Let your Deeds be done in secret.
39:07
Don't bring somebody to church. I want to show you the plaque.
39:09
They put up in my name. But then you show up and then
39:12
they scratched it out because somebody gave more, you know,
39:14
it's like what happened here? Oh, well sister.
39:17
So and so gave more than you. So you lost the like it's all.
39:22
It's all not. Just let love motivate you a
39:24
menu. Guys?
39:25
Get it. Let love motivate you.
39:27
Well, Jacobs deceive. Notice verse 21.
39:30
It says, Jacob said to love Laban.
39:35
Give me my wife. For the days of her field.
39:38
I want to go into her and labor, get Laban gather together all
39:41
the men of the place and made a feast, I mean, can't you Jacob
39:44
super excited here. Amazing now, akina, pass in the
39:47
evening that he took Leah, his daughter and brought her to
39:50
Jacob, and he went into her and leaving Dave has made zilpah to
39:54
his daughter Leah, as a maid and it came to pass in the morning,
39:56
to behold. It was Leah.
40:01
And he said to Laban, what is this?
40:03
You have done to me. Was it not Rachel that I served
40:06
you? Why then have you deceived me?
40:12
And they even said it must not be done.
40:14
So, in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn
40:17
fulfill her week and we will give you this all one also for
40:21
the service, which you will serve me another seven years.
40:25
Jacob did. So why did he do it?
40:28
Because he loved Rachel. He did it again, fulfilled your
40:34
week and he gave him his daughter, Rachel, his wife also
40:36
and Laban gave his made bilhah, to his daughter to his daughter.
40:40
Rachel, is a maid and verse 30. Jacob also went into Rachel, he
40:43
loved Rachel more than Leah and he served with Leavin still
40:46
another seven years. How did this happen?
40:49
That's the big question is, Jacob.
40:51
Blind is he not paying attention?
40:54
Keep in mind, lab probably had a veil.
40:58
Keep in mind, this is after a little festivity.
41:02
The spirits are flowing, maybe he's not all in his right mind.
41:06
He's not sober, but the bottom line, however, it happened.
41:10
We don't know. And it's truly irrelevant to the
41:13
story because Jacob was deceived Jacob was deceive.
41:20
The Bible says to be careful not to be deceived.
41:25
Even, as Believers with the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we can be
41:29
deceived. We can be lied to in a
41:34
vulnerable time in our life or in a time of greed or a time of
41:37
her die. Like there's a lot of different
41:39
ways. I think this one probably would
41:42
be excitement. He is Head Over Heels excited,
41:45
seven years, it's finally time. We can beat the seed.
41:50
It's important church that you are masters of the Bible.
41:56
That you're not masters of the latest YouTube videos or the
42:00
latest thing that's out there. It's okay to have knowledge in
42:04
different places and to if you have a particular form of study
42:08
but the study means nothing. If you don't know the Bible,
42:13
It's going to, you're going to be so susceptible to deception,
42:17
you're going to be so susceptible to being lied to.
42:21
The Bible says to test all things and hold fast to what is
42:24
good. How will you be able to test all
42:27
things? If you don't know where to test
42:30
them, be a man or a woman of the book, not many books.
42:35
And again I think it was Charles Spurgeon and said, hey read many
42:39
books but Master One Know your Bible, we were just discipling
42:43
with the staff who were doing some discipleship in our staff
42:46
meeting this morning and we're covering the book.
42:48
We put together here, called stetzer and steady, and which a
42:52
bunch of different principles that are very, very helpful for
42:55
pastors to grow but we're doing it for the staff to because it's
42:57
very applicable and one of them is simple.
43:00
This is how we're taught here. This is how exactly what I
43:03
taught the staff. That was in the room today.
43:06
Have a paper Bible and carry it everywhere.
43:11
That's what they're taught here. Now, whether they do it or not,
43:13
is their choice, of course, but have a paper Bible, have your
43:17
Bible and carry it everywhere. Why?
43:20
And you know, the book says, because a pastor's tools are
43:24
very simple, the Bible and prayer.
43:28
So have a Bible with you. I know we can use the iPad in
43:32
the phone. I use mine as well, especially
43:33
the search function. Very, very helpful, but it's not
43:36
the same. It's not the same in the sense
43:40
of perhaps you're still taking in the word of God for yourself.
43:43
But when you have a paper Bible, not only you taking the word of
43:45
God in for yourself, but you're walking around like a pastor's.
43:48
I tell the pastor's here and you can read it in the book If you
43:50
like until the pastor's here. When you walk around with the
43:54
Bible, it conveys, especially in this church.
43:58
That this is the authority. In this church, I'm not the
44:00
authority pastors aren't the authority.
44:03
This is the authority, and that's why we carry it around.
44:06
That's why I use it. That's why I got it rebound.
44:08
In this beautiful leather cover recently, like this is my Bible.
44:13
Don't touch it. It's not yours, you can't have
44:15
it. It's got 30 years of notes in
44:17
here, right? In your Bibles, highlight them,
44:20
write down the notes, God gave you something put a date.
44:24
God gave you a word tonight. In Genesis 29, write the date of
44:27
May 10th and say, write down the word and circle it.
44:31
So the next time you read through Genesis at all I
44:33
remember God. Spoke to me that night.
44:35
I remember like it was yesterday because you may forget This is
44:39
the authority, you test all things and and you hold fast to
44:43
what is good. You don't test it by my
44:44
teaching. You actually take my teaching
44:47
and test it by the word of God. And I had somebody recently
44:51
emailed me go, you know, I don't, I disagree with you, you
44:53
know? My response was well, a lot of
44:55
people disagree with me. And it's a secondary thing.
45:01
Like what you want me to fight for it?
45:02
I'm not going to fight for it disagree and do your thing.
45:06
This is what I believe. I can prove it to you
45:07
biblically. I can make a strong case for it
45:10
and maybe you can make a strong case for you for yours.
45:12
But man, if it's secondary, why are we fighting?
45:14
People are lost. Let's go after the Lost.
45:19
Let's love our neighbor. And that is the meat of ministry
45:23
Jacobs. De-seed be careful.
45:25
Don't be deceived The bottom line is he met his match and
45:29
Laban in anyone that thinks they're getting away with
45:32
anything right now. I'm telling you you'll meet your
45:34
match. There's always someone more
45:37
deceptive than you more conniving than you more game
45:41
playing than you. You'll meet your match.
45:44
And why would you meet your match?
45:46
Because God loves you. He wants to bring you to a place
45:48
of repentance so you can come back to him.
45:51
You don't need to go out there and try to match every
45:53
manipulator and everything and I don't think I can do it.
45:56
You don't need to do it. You abide in Christ and he'll
45:59
meet those difficulties. He'll give you Direction.
46:02
He'll lead you and guide you and Jacob.
46:05
He's met his match as he's huffing and puffing about being
46:08
duped. I wonder if all the trickery
46:10
that he's been involved in came back to mind.
46:13
I have a note here in my Bible right here.
46:15
It says a classic example of reaping what you've sown That's
46:20
where Jacob is right now. There's such a key parallel here
46:26
between Jacob and Isaac to I want to share with you.
46:28
First of all, Isaac's blindness. Remember at the end there equals
46:33
the darkness of Jacob's wedding night and secondly, Jacob is
46:38
being deceived by being given the older before the younger,
46:42
but now the opposite is happening of what he did to his
46:44
dad. In his life.
46:47
Thirdly, Isaac, brought, Jake, thought, Jacob was Esau.
46:50
And look what's happening to Jacob.
46:52
He thought. Leo is Rachel, It's All Coming
46:55
Back. Not only that fourthly Jacob,
46:58
pretended to be his older brother while Leah, pretended,
47:01
to be your younger sister. It's just a man Lord keep us
47:07
from sin because I don't want to reap the consequences especially
47:11
of willful knowing sin. I want to avoid it in my life.
47:17
I want to stay away from it, he's going to have to work
47:21
another seven years. And what happens, what happens
47:25
in his home, he left a home that was wrecked by favoritism.
47:31
And now what does he have a home?
47:34
Where there's favoritism you go ahead.
47:36
What do you see that will come back to the text notice what it
47:38
says. It says that.
47:44
Jacob in verse 30 also went into Rachel and he loved Rachel.
47:48
What does your Bible say more? Than Leah.
47:54
That favoritism is now is repeated in the home.
47:58
And we have to really feel bad for Leah here.
48:03
Not sure if she knew what was happening or if she was involved
48:05
in it, the text doesn't tell us, but nonetheless, she's on loved
48:10
listen, consider her. When I didn't, I don't have time
48:13
to develop it and I didn't, but maybe you can, as you study
48:16
this, I want you to consider Leah for a second.
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Those delicate eyes, are those weak eyes, or maybe that phrase
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about her eyes is also speaking about her temperament little bit
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weaker and less strong than her sister, but consider where she's
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out right now. She is unloved by her husband.
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She's been used by her dad. And hated by her sister.
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That's the home. She lives in.
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It's a real tough spot. We'll get into this next time
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but we have the sons being born here and we'll get into a, we'll
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just cover it briefly in our study next time, but let love
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motivate you. Move, you stir.
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You build you up in the faith knowing that God will bless that
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as you move forward in love. So father we pray right now.
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God that as we consider this family it's very challenging,
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very difficult, 20 years of working and Leah and Rachel all
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this. It's super challenging Lord.
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I pray for the challenges and families tonight.
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Thank you for the relevance of your word.
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It doesn't matter where we open it.
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I pray God that we would discern where it speaks of you, but also
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how it speaks to us in relationship to you.
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And I have a burden tonight to pray for pastors.
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Maybe many don't even listen in to radio or anything or listen
49:41
to The Stream and that's perfectly fine.
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But for the, those that do Those that are laboring and by love
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those that are in the trenches, those that we don't know their
49:53
name, we don't hear the reports. We don't see it on YouTube or
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Instagram, but they're so Faithfully laboring motivated by
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love. Would you bless them and
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establish them and a and build him up?
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Me, you protect their families and their kids, may you bless
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them with abundant fruit and for those that are trying to build a
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name for themselves, I'm selves and trying to be the next big
50:18
thing in the new, hip thing in the celebrity part and let them
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have a quick early Revelation that that is not the call of
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Jesus Christ. It might be the way the world
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operates. And it might feel good and might
50:34
stroke the ego, but it's not your call.
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Your call in first Timothy 3. Whoever desires the position of
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a bishop or an Episcopal has desires.
50:47
A good work, its work spiritual work, its sole work.
50:54
So establish our hands Lord, and even if there's a pastor right
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now, listening that is the new new church in town, may you
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bless them. Encourage them and flourish
51:05
their ministry as they teach 4th the word and love you in the
51:08
spirit but don't let it get to their heads.
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Lord, protect them from pride is always be the new next best
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thing in town. And we don't need to be worried
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about. It don't need to be concerned
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about it. Don't need to be insecure about
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it. Is that your work?
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You raise up one, you put down another and it's all from you
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and it's all for your kingdom. Lord burn that into our hearts
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tonight. In Jesus name, amen.
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We pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible.
51:38
Study delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church for
51:42
prayer. Call us at 877, 30 Grace that's
51:47
And 3047 223 to listen to this message in its entirety, or to
51:54
join us for our lives dream Services.
51:56
Visit us online at Calvary. Co dot church or download our
52:01
free Calvary Church app be blessed as you worship Jesus
52:05
this week. And 3047 223 to listen to this
51:52
message in its entirety, or to join us for our lives dream
51:55
Services. Visit us online at Calvary.
51:58
Co dot church or download our free Calvary Church app be
52:03
blessed as you worship Jesus this week.