GENESIS

Today is Tuesday.  Election day.  I hope every Christian cast his or her vote today.  It is important to our society that citizens vote.  Our hope is not politics, but we should be involved enough to vote every time possible.  I'm reading in Genesis, and here are just a few thoughts:   1) ENEMIES AT PEACE - The Bibles says: Prov 16:7 "When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."  This is seen in Genesis 26.  In verse 12, we see that God blesses Isaac.  "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundred-fold:  and the LORD blessed him." Because of this, the inhabitants of the land sent him away.  vs.16- "And Abimelech said unto Isaac, God from us; for thou art much mightier than we."  But, then they came back to him and Isaac wondered why.  vs. 27- "And isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?"  Now, here comes the answer I want us to see in verse 29- "That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace:  thou art now the blessed of the LORD."  Even the enemies of Isaac saw that he was "now the blessed of the LORD."  When you consistantly serve God, eventually, even your enemies will see that you are blessed of the LORD.   2) FORGIVENESS IN THE FAMILY- Families ought to get along.  That is a truth.  In Gen. 33:4, we see that taking place.  Jacob is very fearful about meeting Esau.  Twenty years earlier, he had stolen his birthright blessing.  Now he comes home very fearful.  But notice his brothers response:  "And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him:  and they wept."  No hard feelings... no bitterness... no anger over past hurts.  He forgives his brother.  And... in Chapter 36:6,7, when the land could no longer bear both brothers because of their wealth... Esau moves on even though he was there first!  Esau showed some wonderful brotherly love and forgiveness.  He had accepted who he was and God's dealings with him.  He too was a blessed man and increased greatly.  Let Esau be an example to every family to "make peace" in the family.   3) THE SOUL THAT SINNETH...  In Genesis 37, we see that Judah sold his brother in slavery.  It was his idea to sell him for money instead of just letting him die in a pit.  But there is a price for sin.  In Genesis 38, we see that two of Judah's sons died because of their evil ways.  This his daughter in law is promised to the third son, which he doesn't let happen.  They the events turn out that he gets his daughter in law, Tamar, pregnant.  What a terrible mess took place in chapter 38, because of Judah's actions in chapter 37.  If we want a blessed life, let us live a life of blessing and obedience.  Now the end of the chapter shows us that even when we totally mess up, God is merciful.  God gave twins to Tamar, and one of them came into the lineage of Jesus Christ, and Tamar is one of the five women mentioned in the geneology of Jesus Christ.  God is good, even when we are not.   Well, my time is gone.  Hope you have a wonderful day in the LORD!  Pastor Mike Mutchler