Jacob’s Vow
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Thoughts on Stewardship - Lessons from Genesis
Jacob’s Vow
Foundation Scriptures: Genesis 28:18-22
Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had
put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19
And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city
had been Luz previously. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will
be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread
to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father's
house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. 22 And this stone which
I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give
me I will surely give a tenth to You." Genesis 28:18-22 NKJV
1. Right after Jacob saw the vision of the ladder with the angels
ascending and descending, he took the stone that he had put at his
head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. Then he made
a vow to the Lord - with some conditions. He asked this of God:
a. If God will be with me
b. If God will keep me in the way that I go
c. If He will give me bread to eat
d. If He will give me raiment – clothing – to put on
e. So that I come to my father’s house in peace – so that I die content and satisfied; in right-standing with God
2. Then Jacob made his vow. He spelled out his commitment to the Lord
and what he promised to do in order to maintain his covenant with
Almighty God:
a. He made a sincere, heartfelt, committed vow – a covenant promise that he would keep all of his life
b. Jacob promised God at least one tenth of all He gave him from then
on. Jacob felt that if God would do these things for him then the least
he could do would be to give God one tenth of his increase!
c. A covenant is a two-way street. God takes you at your word and
expects you to take Him at His. When you make a promise or a vow, God
acts to empower you to keep your promise. If you do not keep your word
after God has kept His, it is like a slap in His face. Jacob kept his
vow to God and so, even in the middle of an extreme seven-year famine,
he and his family were protected and provided for.
Pastor Adonica's Thoughts:
How many of us really, truly appreciate what God, through Jesus, has
done for us? I am sure that if we really believed and understood God’s
undying, unconditional, sacrificial love for us, we would do most
things very differently. We would be much more committed to God; we
would be much more willing and generous in all our dealings with Him;
we would be more prompt to obey Him; we would be more grateful for all
He has done for us. What do you think that God’s “love language” is? Do
you speak His love language? Do you know that God is so thrilled when
his kids really love Him and show it? How does God know that you
genuinely love Him beyond your lip service? How do you demonstrate your
love for God? Do you praise Him with your heart and lips? Do you spend
time with Him? Do you obey Him? Do you love your neighbor? Do you
tithe? Do you sow financially into His Kingdom? Your tithe is not just
supporting the Gospel – your tithe is your covenant promise to God that
enables you to remain blessed all the days of your life.
Pastor Rodney's Thoughts:
There is something about a vow that causes God to respond – He responds
to genuineness, sincerity and faith. Throughout the scriptures, we see
men making various vows to God. We see that God always honored His part
and kept His vows, but unfortunately the men who made vows to God did
not always keep their vows or honor their part. In our lives, Adonica
and I have made several vows to the Lord. We made vows of consecration
– I first made this vow when I was young and single. When we were
married, we made a covenant vow to God and each other that we would be
committed to each other. I made a vow to God at my brother’s death-bed
and another one at my daughter’s and I have endeavored with all my
heart and might to keep every one of them.
Remember, that anything you ask God for must be something He already
promised in His word. Once you make a vow, God watches to see what we
will do. If we will keep our word, He will keep His; He will do what we
have asked of Him. God will meet us on the basis of our vow. If you
have never done this then take a step of faith and make a vow and see
what God will do.
Prayer and Confession:
Father, I thank you that You honor Your word and that You watch over
Your word to perform it. As I make my vows to You and as I purpose,
with all my heart, to keep my part I know that you will watch over your
word and bring it to pass.
Recent:
Righteous Now
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
“Therefore if any man be in Christ…” What does it mean to be “in Christ”? Galatians 3:27 says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” You are baptized into Christ when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” And Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The moment
Defeating Strife
These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 AMP
Faith Facts
Faith is persistent
Luke 11:9-10 AMP
So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.
John 16:24 AMP
Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.
Faith is single-minded
James 1:5-8 AMP
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the