GENESIS 31-40

Well, I took my laptop to Church Sunday Morning and didn't return it until Monday morning, so... I didn't get to blog.  Now I have two to do today.  It's okay, because I have the verses marked that I want to share.  I will put these thoughts into this blog and then I'll write another for today as well.  Hopefully I can get on some kind of schedule.  I'm still trying to fit exercise into my schedule to help lower my blood sugar.  I'm not taking medicine for Diabetes yet, but I will if it I can't get it down with exercise.   Plus, I'd like to get in shape as well.  Here are the jewels I want to share from the goldmine of God's Holy Book:

1) NOT GOOD OR BAD- In Genesis 31:24,29, Laban is running after Jacob who has left with his family and cattle after serving Laban for thirty years.  He left without warning because he knew he had lost favor with his father-in-law because God had blessed Jacob with the cattle and increase that once was Laban's.  In verse 24, God says: "Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad."  and then again in verse 29, Laban tells Jacob that God told him:  "Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad."  At first glance it would seem that God is saying not to speak evil to Jacob.  But, as you look at it again, it says:  "good or bad".  God said to not speak to him any good or any bad.  Now the question is.... why?  Why could he not speak anything good?  Well, because God had already told Jacob what to do.  (vs. 13) "now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred."  Jacob knew what God said, but he also knew he had to face Esau his brother.  Had Laban spoken "good" to Jacob, he might have turned around and went back to Syria with Laban, and all would have been well with him and his father-in-law.... but not with God.  When the Bible says not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, it doesn't mean their counsel is always "ungodly".  It means that they are not followers of Jesus Christ and thus, they are ungodly and their counsel, "good or bad", is not coming from a spiritual, biblical source.  So, this is why God told Laban not to speak "good or bad" to Jacob.  Profound isn't it? 

2) FAMILY! In Genesis 33:4 we read this amazing passage:  "And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him:  and they wept."  This was the reunion of Jacob and Esau.  It certainly was not what Jacob expected, but after all..... they are FAMILY!!  Family overlooks faults.  Family knows uncle Henry is odd... but they love him anyway.  Family avoids issues that cause division, they are kind even when they adamantly disagree, but they don't bring up their disagreements, they bring up their similarities.  They might not like each other a whole lot when they are in their own homes, but put them together, and they act like long lost loved ones.  Now, that's family.  Esau made some mistakes and so did Jacob, but Esau the oldest steps up to the plate and gives Jacob a big manly hug, and a sloppy kiss on the cheek, and weeps for his long lost brother who has returned.  Esau shows us all what FAMILY means.  I decided that based on this... I like Esau.  For all of his poor decisions, he still remembers Jacob (the usurper, the deceiver), and welcomes him back to the FAMILY!  I like that.  Friend... treat your family the same way!!

3) CLEAN UP! In Genesis 35:2, God tells Jacob to clean up his household.  In verse 1, we read:  "Arise, go up to Bethel,".  There God instructs Jacob to build an altar where he first made his vow to God.  But, before he goes with his family, God gives him instructions in verse two:  "Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:"  Now, we know it was Rachel that was still keeping those idols that she took from her father's household.  They hadn't help her very much and God is tired of looking at them.  God wants us cleaned up too.  Not to save us... He saves us when we are still filthy in sin, but even though we are still sinners, God wants us to "clean up".  Put away the things that would steal our hearts away from God.  Clean up our houses, clean up our lives, clean up our act, get a hold of the spiritual disinfectant of God's Word, and let it scrub you up till you have been cleaned up.  "Now are you clean through the Words that I have spoken to you."  Something we have to work on all of the time.

Well, I hope these thoughts are a blessing.  I sure enjoy them!  May God bless you richly! 

Pastor Mike Mutchler