Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Reaping What You Sow
Date: Monday January 09, 2012
Today's Chapters: Genesis 29-31
Preview of Today's Message: When we continue to do things our own way eventually it catches up to us, sooner or later it comes with some consequences, perhaps not in the form of judgment, but in the form of reaping what you sow. All Scripture quoted from the King James Version.

Hello My Friend,

Let's face it, it we left it up to our form righteousness to get to heaven or receive blessings from God we would all be thrown to the curb. Why? “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” - Romans 3:11. We base our righteousness on what we think God wants us to do rather than what He is actually telling us to do. However, praise God for His mercy and grace that we get our righteousness through Christ and not of our own merit. “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;” - Titus 3:1-6.

Jacob was very good at getting the things he desired in a sly, subtle way, he schemed his way to be given birthright over his brother Esau, he schemed his way to receive the blessings of his father. Those schemes were the reason he was running for his life and heading for Haran. Scared and at a lost, God spoke to him and assured him that He had not given up on him and that he would be the father of many nations. What he did not realize was that his scheming days were about to catch up to him. After arriving in Haran he almost immediately found the woman he was going to marry, he met her father and agreed to work seven years for her hand in marriage.

“And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.” -Genesis 29:13-20.

For seven years Jacob served his future father-in-law anticipating the day he can have Rachel for his wife, only to get the surprise of his life when Laban gave him Leah to wed instead. It took an entire night for him to realize that he was with Leah. I often wondered how he could not have known that it what Leah, but the reason he was deceived was that in ancient times the wife was covered with a veil, it was a sign of purity and humbleness, he must not have taken off the veil until the next morning. This is the first of repercussions Jacob receives for the scheming of his former days. Everything we do today becomes the path for the things we receive tomorrow and while we may not even receive any chastening for what we do, we will reap what we sow. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” - Galatians 6:7-9.

Jacob, loved Rachel so much that he was willing to do anything to have her as his wife, he served Laban another seven years to be able to marry her. As you can imagine two sisters being married to the same man would cause some envy and strife, especially when Leah knew how much Jacob loved Rachel. Leah envied the love Jacob had for Rachel and Rachel envied the many children that Leah had with Jacob. This love triangle brought two more women into the picture, Rachel and Leah's handmaids.

“And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die... And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son...When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son...And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah. And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.” -Genesis 30:1,4,5,9,10,20-24.

Envy and strife is the number one cause of feuds between family and loved ones, it can destroy relationships as I am sure Jacob had a lot to deal with having four wives and thirteen children and on top of that a conniving father-in-law. Once again, we reap what we sow and while not all of our endeavors are wicked to get what we want, they still bring about the same result upon ourselves. “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” -Colossians 3:34,25.

Jacob was not quite done with his scheming, after twenty years of dealing with Laban he came up with a scheme to get all of his father-in-law's cattle before convincing Leah and Rachel to leave and head back to Canaan with all his children. They left in the middle of the night, three days later Laban realized that they were gone and went after them.

“Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan...And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad...Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee...If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee...And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.” -Genesis 31:17,18,22-25,44,50,55.

Jacob's personal history is the sad tale of deceit and wrong done to him as a result of the wrong that he had done to others, regardless, God used every one of his schemes to His advantage as He got him in His willone way or another. God blessed Jacob with quite a bit even though he did not do much in the will of God, imagine what he would have gotten had he allowed God to work in his life. This is just another example of just how forgiving and merciful God is toward all His people. “He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.” -Psalm 37:26-29.

Today's Psalm: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” - Psalm 103:8.

Today's Proverb: “The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.” -Proverns 11:17.

Today's Prayer: God, I am in awe of Your invitation that bids me come and offer my all. My all seems so insignificant in comparison to Your Holiness, Your power. Though I am completely unworthy to be called Your child, You embrace me wholly with Your infinite mercy, grace, and absolute acceptance of me. Though I’ve given You my heart it will be a lifetime struggle to surrender to You my all, but it is not in my own strength or capability, but in Your merciful embrace that little by little I let go of myself and let Jesus lead me in righteousness. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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