Take a one week break from Leviticus to look at a situation happening in our nation through the race explosion that happened last weekend

Matthew 24: 10 then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another.

Christian Post Article

  1. Spirituality and Environment.
  1. No matter what the degree of spirituality we may attain, God will still use the environment around us to speak to us.
  2. God does not cause all things, but He is over all things.
  3. Depending on our influence, we will either be effected by the things happening, or stop to hear what God is doing int he midst of these things.

2. Jacob’s encounter  #1

  1. Most powerful encounter in Jacob’s life was at Bethel Genesis 28
  2. He was fleeing from his brother Esau and going to his uncles house
  3. he laid his head down and went to sleep.
  4. God appeared to him and reassured him that He was with Jacob.
  5. Jacob’s promise. Genesis 28: 20 – 22
    1. Next morning he cast that vow away.
    2. Even though he asked God to keep him, he spent the next 20 years taking care of himself.

3. Jacob’s Encounter #2

  1. Laban chased him
    1. They sign a peace treaty promising not to deceive each other again.
  2. Esau is coming at him with an army
  3. Jacob wrestles God Genesis 32: 22 – 32
    1. New name given Israel
    2. Named the place the “face of God”
  4. Not trying to over spiritualize but an encounter like that would put someone on another plane spiritually
  5. Esau and Jacob made peace
  6. Jacob buys a plot of land and builds an altar there 33: 19

4. God’s Approval

  1. Jacob settled and was at peace, but God wasn’t
  2. Notice he is still named Jacob here
  3. God gave Jacob everything he promised him at Bethel
  4. Jacob may have given God 10%, we do not know.
  5. Jacob did not give him himself.
  6. God was going to speak through the events around him to bring him to another level with Him.

5. Problems of the Environment

  1. Dinah gets raped
  2. Brothers kill all the people of Shechem
  3. All the people of the land now hate Jacob Vs30
  4. Blamed his sons and failed to see what God was doing through this situation.
  5. Need to be careful when we feel we are so spiritual that we don’t need anyone else around us.
  6. God calls again. 35: 1
  1. God speaks in the environment and what comes out of Jacob? Vs 2
    1. How could a man of God like him still have idols that he worshipped
    2. God used the circumstances around him to cleanse him
    3. Rather than raging, what do you want to speak through me in the middle of this?
    4. Only through these circumstances do the idols come out
  2. Jacob consecrates himself to the Lord again.
  3. Returns to Bethel the place of encounter.
    1. First love
    2. Place of seeing idols that have cropped up in our lives

7. God works on our behalf

  1. Fear fell on all those who were around Jacob 35: 5
  2. God renamed Jacob Israel again Vs 10
  3. Covenant restored
  4. Jacob settles in Canaan

8. Us

  1. Temple illustration
    1. butter Court full of business of sacrifices
    2. Most Holy Place God dwells in quiet
    3. Don’t let business get into most holy place
  2. We are the temple.
    1. Philippians 4: 6, 7 prayer and receive peace in faith
    2. Matthew 11: 29 take yoke in obedience