Day 10 - Are we ever satisfied?

GENESIS 28:6-30:24

This part of Genesis has really got me thinking. Are we ever satisfied with our lives or are we always looking for more, for better, for greater? Are we rushing into what we want instead of waiting on what God has in His plan for us? Are we selfish and never satisfied with anything in life? Jacob had a heart for one woman, Rachel. Even when given her sister, he still loved Rachel and wanted her as his wife. Seven years is a long time to wait, and I think Jacob really did grow to love Rachel during those years, but why did he marry Leah anyways? Why didn't he attempt other options? Are we just like Jacob in life? Are we ever satisfied? Are we ever willing to ask God what He wants in our lives and wait for His answer before making a mess? Are we willing to lay down our selfishness in order to make sure that the ones that love us know they are loved?

Leah really seemed to love Jacob from the start. You almost can feel her longing for him to love her back. She went along with her father but found very little satisfaction in the husband she had gained by deceit. Tricking someone into marriage is dangerous, but is still being done today. Some women try to buy a man with sex, or trap him with a baby, or by being someone they know they are not. On the other hand, men may also trap women by promising wealth, or trick a woman by pretending to be something he is not, hiding his faults until after the ceremony. It may not take any longer than the honeymoon for his wife to discover that she married a monster she never really knew. The consequences of deception are usually painful. So here we have the first record of people entering into a bigamous relationship. It was not God’s perfect will. God made one woman for one man. Although Jacob was tricked, I believe there were alternatives. Why didn't he reject Leah? Why didn't Jacob just accept his marriage to Leah as the will of God for his life and learned to love her alone? Jacob’s father accepted the consequences of his deceit when he impersonated his brother Esau and stole the family blessing. We later learn that Isaac was commended for it in the New Testament. Maybe Jacob would have been commended for accepting these consequences from the sovereign hand of God had he exercised that degree of faith. Leah, not Rachel, was the mother of Judah, through whom the Savior would ultimately come (Gen. 29:35). Jacob was not willing to believe that God was in control of these circumstances. Although we know He always is in control! He was going to have what he wanted in spite of God’s will. The events that follow should be evidence enough that bigamy was never part of God’s plan for the human race. Rachel really started to become upset. She began envying her sister and not living the life that God wanted for her... she wanted the life she thought that she should have! She wanted to die because she was not the one providing children for Jacob, instead it was Leah who had given him children... and not just one, many!

The sin of discontentment has ruined countless relationships. There are couples that get angry with God for not giving them children, while others who do have children look forward to the day when the kids will be grown and gone. As happy I am as a homemaker I am guilty to having said many times how nice it would be to have a job. While there are many moms and working wives that want to be full-time homemakers. Christians are dissatisfied with the places where they live, their jobs, money, and the houses they live in. Something else always looks better. How many wives do you know that are always discontent with their husbands? They whine and scold because the men don’t pay enough attention to them, don’t spend enough time with the children, won’t do little jobs around the house, work too many hours, focus more on their hobbies, television, or sports than they think of them. Many husbands are discontented with their wives, criticize them for the way they dress, the way they fix their hair, the way they cook, the way they keep house, or the way they treat the children. No matter how hard some wives try, they can never please their husbands. When we can recognize the presence of discontentment in our lives and acknowledge it as sin, we can seek God’s grace to overcome it and find new joy in living. Why is it so hard to be happy with the man or woman that we said I do to? Why is it the beginning of our relationship is so full of compliments, love, lust, and desire and through out the years we ask what were we thinking? God made a wife with the need to rest secure in her husband’s love at all times. He made a husband with a desire to not just be loved, but to be respected and adored! Do you think that when Jacob lay with these other women that Rachel felt the love that she should have? Do you think she believed he loved her at all? Rachel died during child birth of their second son, leaving Jacob to be with her sister who she envied her entire life! Jacob never recovered from this. He loved her to the end of his life. But what good did it do her? She could not fully enjoy his love. The discontentment kept her from enjoying anything totally, and it kept others from enjoying her. It isolated her to loneliness. My challenge today for myself is this: take a look at my life and all the things I complain about, look at them closely and realize that for every single thing that I am complaining about, there is God's hand in that! What I mean by this is for everything that I find wrong in my life, for everything I fail at, for everything I don't like, for everything I do and don't feel rewarded for - I have to STOP! I have to look around me and I have to thank God for every blessing He has given me to even complain about. He has given me a man who I not only respect, but that I do adore, 4 wonderful children, parents that love me, siblings that are dear to me, and friends that treasure God and the gifts we are given! Take today as a day to Thank God for every blessing you have. Take today to let go of the negative thoughts, feelings, emotions, and baggage in your life and lift each of them up to our father and ask Him to bring the positive to light and to show you what it means to be truly satisfied!

Very Respectfully,
Leslie

But godliness actually is means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment - 1 Timothy 6:6

Day 9 - How solid are the words you speak?

GENESIS 25:27-28:5

Here in Genesis 27 we see the betrayal of Jacob and Rebekah. We see Isaac betrayed by his wife and his second born son. There is a desperation from Esau in his begging his father to bless him also. The words that Isaac said to Jacob (even when believing that it was Esau) were not taken back. My question is how solid are the words you speak?

Why is it that Isaac could not take the blessing off of Jacob that he spoke to him when learning he was betrayed? He didn't, instead he went on to continue to bless him by telling him what land to find his wife from. He knew what Jacob had done was wrong, he knew what he wanted to his first son Esau, but he did not go back on the blessing spoken and given. It appears that Rebekah was in control of more after learning of Esau's plot to kill his brother to receive blessing. Rebekah told Jacob to leave to hide until his brother could get over being angry and forgets what he did to him. What Rebekah does next I find that many women do to men... manipulate... she told her husband that she didn't want their son to marry a woman of their land, she made him bless Jacob by sending him to another land to find a wife, make a family, and be fruitful. Isaac did what he believed was right for his son according to his wife's wishes. Do you believe that Isaac was aware of the fact that Rebekah had been behind all of it from the beginning? If so, why wasn't there any talk of the betrayal from her? If not, how do you think that Jacob looked as his mom after knowing that she was the reason his brother wanted him dead and why he had to leave the land where his father and family were?

Do you stand firm on what you say or do you take it back? Do you say things out of convenience? Do you say things that make others look bad? Do you make situations that come your way out for your own good, to make a name for yourself or do you give credit where it is properly deserved? Are you like Rebekah in any way in the fact that you can make things happen because of the situations whether what it is you want done is right or wrong? Words are powerful! Words can be kind, sweet, informational, and inspirational; they can also be hurtful, mean, bold, and wrong. You have a choice! You have the choice to learn how the words that you say effect everyone around you. Choose carefully... Just think about how the little words of the children could and can light your entire day. Just this morning my daughter called mommy and just said, "I love you". It is amazing what those 3 words mean to me. From my children, from my mouth to my children, from my husband, and to my husband. The words you say, the things you do, and the actions you have to those around you are noted and recognized by your children, by those who love you, and those who admire you. Make the right decisions in life, take that extra step to do right and ensure it is what God is asking of you and that everything you are doing is glorifying Him. Keep Him as center in my life is what will get me through life in the right way. When I loose focus on Him and His word and will is when I fall on the desires of self and not on what God is calling for me.

Very Respectfully,
Leslie

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. - John 1:12

Day 8 - How do you love?

GENESIS 25:1-26; 1CHRONICLES 1:28-34 (NIV)

Could you imagine having twins, loving one more than the other, and having one serve the other? In the days of Jacob and Esau, God proclaimed it just this way. Esau was first born and loved more by his father. Jacob was loved more by his mother. We see more about this story later. Personally, I couldn't imagine deciding which child I love more or which child I would have serve another. My children are each so dear to me - to make me chose which one I love more than another... I simply couldn't do it!

God knew, before the birth of Jacob and Esau, just who each of them were. He knew that Esau would not have a heart to obey Him. God answered Rebekah's prayer by telling her she would have two children, and the older one would serve the younger. He presented the future history of her two sons before her, that they would be two nations, the one greater than the other, and the elder should serve the younger. The first-born was entitled to peculiar advantages and special privileges, which belonged to no other members of the family.

As far as my family, I gained two children automatically when I met Rob. Sean was 11, Brooke was 5. Sean looked so much like Rob, he acted so much like his father. Brooke, her striking red hair, her perfect dimples, I just fell in-love. I wanted to see Sean successful from the beginning. He was always so smart! He figured out it takes doing the work and turning it in to pass and he even graduated high school early! As soon as Sean would put his mind to something - he would do it! Look at him now - he is an Active Duty Sailor who for the first time saw his ship yesterday! The pride and the excitement in his voice was wonderful to hear! Brooke is in 6th grade being asked to take Pre-AP classes next year. She doesn't have to even study to do well. She is full of SMARTS! She is 12 and one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. Before Brianna was to join our family, I was happy if we never had more. I loved what we had when it was the four of us. I loved that I had a son and a daughter. There still were rough times of adjustments with a step mom in the picture, but we work through them. Then, we found out May 17th we were having a baby. There was joy, excitement, and nerves that all came in just like with anyone. Brianna has been the mother hen since birth. She is precious, her beautiful beauty mark that makes her hair colors women pay BIG money for, her little body, her perfect smile. She is Brianna, the 5 year old (wanting to be 12 like her sister). She loves Sean, Brooke, and Jayce. Before we moved to Minnesota I found out we were expecting again. We found out it was a boy. We debated up until we delivered what we would name him. Just the other day Rob looked at me and said "he couldn't be a different name; he is Jayce!". He is so right in that statement. Everyone adores little man. He is such a boy, cars, trucks, blocks, trains, sports...all boy! I think what I am saying is that in every level that my children are in in their lives, I love that level with them. I love that each of them are unique and love different things, but in the same way they love each other enough to love what the other ones love. I adore that they try to take care of one another when no one is supposed to be looking. I love seeing them all together! I love my children, I love my family. Rob and I are blessed to have the family that we have. I am blessed to have Rob!

Though it was apparent that Jacob and Esau were not treated as equals and not loved the same. God did have it planned that way for a reason. Just as I believe that God has a different plan in each one of my childrens' life. He made them all different, but He made them for our family! He calls me as their mother to love and protect them, to offer them up to Him in raising them in His word and desiring Him. He calls Rob as their dad to raise them with love, to discipline with love and authority, to protect, and to provide for them. He calls us as a family to serve Him in obedience. He has given us the biggest blessing of all... His love, His mercy, His grace, and His PERFECT plan. My goal in my family is to make sure that God is our center always in our home! As long as there is always love, always respect, and God as our center, we can follow His plan for our family.

Very Respectfully,
Leslie

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. - Romans 8:28

Day 7 - What are you willing to sacrifice?

GENESIS 21:8-23:20; GENESIS 11:32; GENESIS 24:1-67

God calls Abraham to sacrifice his only son! After waiting for so long to be able to have a child, could you imagine being asked to offer your child up as a sacrifice? Issac was everything to Abraham and Abraham was giving everything to him. Abraham had to forget his dreams and do what God was asking of him. God tested Abraham's belief in the impossible. Do you think on the journey to the place God had planned, Abraham was angry? sad? full of guilt? full of questions? was he asking God why his only son? Was he concerned with the future or what would be coming next? After becoming a mother, I simply could not imagine! Just the thought of the journey to sacrifice my child makes my heart break. Isaac seems to be a strong teenager that was willing to give up his life. There doesn't seem to be any physical struggle to have Isaac lie on the altar. By carrying the wood, we know Isaac was at least a young man. Isaac, it seems, willingly gave up his life at his father’s request just as Jesus did. What fear would your child have? As parents our children trust us. They trust their lives in our hands. We are called to love and respect God above any one else! Abraham demonstrates this in the same way that God gave us His son!

God made us love our children, treasure them, and to ask us to give them to Him... Wow, what a struggle. After almost loosing a person that is SO dear to me during child birth, I look at the sweet face today and I am in awe that she is still with us!! In the same since that I am in awe of this child, there is another that I am saddened for the family! In 2 days tomorrow a son was lost to SIDS 2 years ago. Seeing a mom and dad, grandparents, family, and friends go through the unexpected loss of a child. This child is with God now and we do not understand why. If God is calling you to give something in your life to Him are you willing to do follow Him? What if He asked you to not do something that you wanted to do for so long and now you think you have a chance to do it? What about an item, is there something that you hold so dear you wouldn't give it to anyone? What about something that you love to do... or something that you know you should give up and won't? Why? Why is it so hard to give up ANYTHING in life when we know it is what God is calling us to do?

Abraham is our example, we are to take his actions and his faith and not just learn from it, but do it! What are you willing to sacrifice? What are you willing to lay down for God? What is God calling you to do in your life that you aren't ready to do? What are you doing that God is calling you to stop? I hope these questions are affecting you like they are me... God has called me to be a wife, a mother, a child, and a friend... He has and is asking me to lay down the wrong in life, to start doing right, to live by His grace, to live by His word!


Very Respectfully,
Leslie

I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ. - Ephesians 1:7

Day 6 - Look at the sins of the world today! Are you going to be saved from the sin in your life?

GENESIS 18:1-21:7 (NIV)

For years the sins of Sodom and Gomorah have been discussed, what was the sin? The cities of Sodom and Gamorah were full of sin! And although there wasn't only one sin in the land, Sodom and Gomorrah serve as a powerful example of how God feels about sin in general and homosexuality specifically. How does God see your sins? How does He feel about your sins? What are your sins? Does God provide resources to you to help you overcome your sins and teach you how to deal with them?

Sodom and Gomorrah were guilty of many other horrible sins, homosexuality was the reason God poured fiery sulfur on the cities, completely destroying them. To this day, the area where Sodom and Gomorrah were located remains a desolate wasteland. The other sins recognized and talked of are in examples such as Ezekiel 16:49-50; Jude 7; and Leviticus 18:22. These passages talk about the arrogant, overfed, not helping the poor, homosexuality, sexual immorality, and perversion. While homosexuality does appear to be the primary reason for the destruction of the cities the other sins were to be completely wiped away as well. Where are we in the world today with these exact sins?

Homosexuality is a part of our every day life of others around us. As Rob and I were watching a TV show that we love the other night, we saw two women actually kiss on national television, and were announced as girlfriends. It really made me stop and think. I do not want my children to think just because today's society is accepting that it is right. The bible teaches us the exact opposite. What resources are we given as Christians to face our sins? Are you open about your sins? Do you confess them and try to receive help on overcoming these sins or are you closed off and trying to cope on your own? Do you put on the armor of God when being confronted with your sins or do you fall into the temptations of the devil? Failing because of our sins in something that is easy to do, falling on our knees because of our sins is something that takes a swallow of pride and an understanding of Gods unfailing love and grace for us! It takes being a part of reading Gods words and understanding that they are meant for us. They are meant for our daily lives, not just when we feel like we need them. When sin is active in our lives we need to turn to God and ask for His for his help and his guidance. Even though it isn't easy, I have my husband who I talk to about my struggles. Not to make him worry, but to make him aware that I am human, sin is present, and knowing that he knows and can pray for me helps me. It makes me feel accountable and is one of the ways that I can show him I trust and respect him and his guidance in my marriage, family, and individual life.

The rapture is being talked about in a real and present since right now. With the sin that was in these two cities alone God wiped the cities out with burning sulfur! Have you asked God for forgiveness of your sin? Have you taken an active roll of trying to get rid of the sin in your life? My challenge for myself today is to recognize that there are sins in my life that I have not repented for or asked forgiveness for. I need to humble myself before the thrown and lay it at the feet of the almighty healer and know that eliminating the sin in my life is what will change my life.

Very Respectfully,
Leslie

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. - Ephesians 6:10-11

Day 5 - Do you wait in faith?

GENESIS 15:1-17:27 (NIV)

As I have read through the passages of today's reading, my question is this: Do you wait in Faith? How much faith do we put in God that He knows everything? Are we afraid of what is happening or not happening to us when we think it is the right time in our minds?

Abram who becomes Abraham and Sarai who becomes Sarah after longing to be fruitful are finally blessed. Abraham even questioned the Lord in His timing. He and his wife took he Lords words into their own hands. Sarai had Abram lay with her maid servant so she could bare his child. The maid servant, Hagar, was not good to Sarai any longer. Sarai was not going to stand for any disrespect. Sarai told Abram about the situation and Abram gave Sarai the control to decide what was best. Sarai told Hagar to take Ishmael away. She was tired of Hagar acting superior to her and did not want the disrespect being protrayed from Ishmael and Hagar to Sarah and Abraham's son Isaac. The Lord told Abraham to trust Sarah in her decision even though it meant giving up his first born son! Do you think this was easy for Abraham? Do you think Sarah wanted to tell her husband whom she loved that he had to tell his first son goodbye? Do you think this put a strain on their marriage?

Do you wait in faith or do you take obstacles and situations into your own hands? There are times when it is really hard to understand what God is trying to teach us. There are times where it is really clear what he is trying to teach us! I find that there are many times I don't wait to see and understands God's ultimate plan before I try to act on it and try to make it happen in the timing I think it should happen. "It's all in my timing, when I feel like moving on, I keep holding on..." is lyrics to a great song I know. They make me think about the timing that we have for our own lives. Maybe it isn't the same timing that God has for our lives, have you thought of that? When we move on and make the decision on what we want to happen or what we "think" God is telling us, it more times that not leaves a void that we keep holding on to the thought or idea that things may have turned out differently! Have the thoughts, I wonder if I had..., if I had waited,... if I just do this,... if I wait... ever crossed your mind? Do you imagine your life better? Do you imagine your life different? Do the decisions you make instead of waiting in faith affect anyone around you?

Sarah and Abraham did not wait on Gods promises. They took what they were being told and made them happen when they thought it was right. In my life, I do the same thing! I jump on any thing new in life. Instead of waiting in faith and making sure that it is something that God is going to bless. God blesses us each and every day! Do you think that if you are waiting in faith, following His guidance, and praying for His perfect guidance, that you are going to be blessed beyond your wildest expectations?! Blessed because God is the one that the center of your waiting, your acting, and your final result?! I do! Challenging myself to not just step out in faith every chance I have, but to wait in faith more often. God is in control - what a humbling and comforting feeling that is to know!

Very Respectfully,
Leslie

I know He can be trusted and that nothing is too big or difficult for Him. -Jeremiah 32:17

Day 4 - Have you ever pre-judged some one? Who is our ultimate Judge?

GENESIS 11:1-31; 12:1-14:24
1CHRONICLES 1:24-27 (NIV)

Prejudging can be one of the hardest things to get past when you are first meeting a person or learning of a person from a family member or friend. What does this do to you if they prove your initial thoughts wrong?

In Genesis 11:10-20 Abram went to Egypt to escape famine. Taking his wife he knew that the Egyptian Pharaoh would think she was beautiful and try to take Abrams life. Abram decided to allow the Pharaoh to think that she was his sister and in doing this allowed her to do so the Pharaoh took her as his own wife. Instead of Abram putting faith in the Lord to protect himself, his wife, and bless their marriage he caused the Lord to inflict disease on the Pharaoh and his entire household. Instead of Pharaoh doing what Abram thought he would do if he brought his beautiful wife to the country as a wife, Pharaoh told his men to send him on his way, with his wife, and everything he owned. He spared Abram his life and gave back the woman he had taken as his wife for the time he had her. Does sound like a man that would kill another man just to take his wife? OR do you think that he spared Abrams life and gave him back everything that was his because of what serious disease the Lord had placed on him? We may never know the answer to this.

What we as humans do know is exactly how easy it is to judge. It is easy to judge a person by appearance, clothing, color of skin, hair color, attitude, and wealth. I am not saying that initial impression doesn't mean something. What I am saying is it shouldn't be the judge of your whole opinion. In learning of someone from a family member or a friend (without ever physically meeting a person), what do we learn? We learn what the person telling us about that individual wants us to know. We usually only hear extremely possitive or extremely negative information. What right do we have to then judge that person? Do we have the right if after being told the negative, to not like a person, to not desire to meet the person, or to not trust the person? After meeting someone who I had heard an awful lot about last night, I learned that the initial judgment that I had cast was wrong. After talking for a good while, it was clear... the opinions we form about a person after meeting them depends on the way they talk to you, the way they look at life, the way they care about others, the way they love, the way they support the ones they "love", and they way they take care of the ones they love. Needless to say, I was trying to learn about a person who turned out to be who I initially thought he was through conversations. There is disappointment in me, there is hurt and anger. When I say I was wrong last night, this is what I mean: God is not calling me to judge! He is not asking for my opinion on the people that He put here on this earth. What He is doing is calling me to love. Right now I will not love the person I met, what I will do is love the person who caused us to meet. Praying for Gods perfect plan in both of their lives to be evident. Praying for a closeness that once there with Christ that can be there once again!

You see, Abram judged and God made His wrath known. Do you think Abram was sorry to God? to his wife? to the Pharaoh? God has an ultimate plan for each of us. His judgment and His will should be the only thing that our focus is on - NOT for others, for ourselves. When is the last time that you looked at yourself as others see you? What do you think their judgment of you would be? Will they see Christ in your life? Will they see the love you have for your Lord, your spouse, and your children or will it be the love that is for the sin in your life, your job, or your belongings? I challenge myself: do not be swayed by the words of others, learn the truth, remember that Gods judgment is coming! He is our ultimate Judge!!!

Very Respectfully,
Leslie

I will not be condemned by God, I have been set free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2