What's new
By:
Filters
Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Bible Study Making deals with God

stovebolts

stovebolts

Member
Genesis 28:20-22 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Thoughts?
 
That's something I've always been afraid to do, simply because I'd be afraid I wouldn't hold up to my end of the bargain at one time or another and not sure how God would react to that.

I did come close to a solid deal but just once and said I'd "try" to do this that or the other for this that or the other.

The request wasn't met but even without that so called deal that was really no deal at all, it hasn't been met so, can't take much from it.
 
And to think, a nation came out of this one man... But not because of this man or what he did, but because of God's promise to Abraham through Isaac.
Could God's promise be nullified by one deal?

Jacob was leaving because he listened to bad advice... he made some mistakes and he feared for his life. He never doubted there was a God, but it does seem he wanted some assurance of what I'm sure he has been told in regard to the promise.

I've heard of people putting out "fleeces" to see what God's will for them would be... but what about when your short on faith, and you can't see how things are going to turn out... and you don't even really "KNOW" that the promise is real? In that sense, Jacob's request doesn't sound too far off.
 
And to think, a nation came out of this one man...

Hmmm, maybe I should reconsider making a deal. :)

Thing with me is, I have no doubt in my mind God can do what I need, none whatsoever, I mean it's piddly compared to creation, so how could I not think he could? So I think that's what they mean by having faith, but when that thing doesn't happen and it almost seems God isn't listening because a few requests, reasonable requests too, go unanswered, then what do we do?

Lose faith? nope, just keep on keepin' on and hoping. the world would call me a fool for doing that and I wouldn't blame them but who knows, maybe it's a test, Gods just not going to grant, whatever.....doesn't matter, Once in it, I'm, in it for the long haul and even if he never does a thing for me, I'm hanging on. Sometimes I wonder about the logic and may even question my sanity on that type of reaction to what appears to be no help at all but it evidently defies logic because I won't be pulled away/lose faith, at least I don't think that can happen.

I've thought about trying the Fleece thing but after what I just said, I guess it's understandable I haven't bothered.
 
StoveBolts said:
So what are your thoughts on Jacob. Was he wrong for making that statement?
Click to expand...
I think vows can be a bad thing. I need to ask the person and group that taught me that to get the verses in that we often are harming ourselves when we make some vows.

I vow to be good and not to sin like that. ok its great not to sin and we should strive not to sin but what if we do sin and sin again. what then? I have become cynical because of that towards god.
I will text kent on that.
 
StoveBolts said:
So what are your thoughts on Jacob. Was he wrong for making that statement?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I headed out into "all about me" there.

No, I don't think he was wrong at all.

Actually, he was offering a very good deal to God in this particular case and if he's gutsy enough to make the deal and followed through, good on him. Jacob asked very little in exchange and what he did ask was essentially for Gods glory in itself, right?

I'm going by just what you posted, I probably need to read that a little more in context but maybe not.
 
Personal story:age 24, a bit over 6 years ago, I was in jail. 23 hour lockdown. I was sickly and headed either to prison or the lovely state mental hospital for a nice vacay. Anyway, I remembered reading how Bill Bright (Campus Crusade for Christ) made a deal w/ God. So, since I most definitely did not want to go anywhere, I made a deal with God: save me and you can have my life. This is, of course, before I even got saved. The prosector accepted a deal to send me to Teen Challenge, let me do some community service, dismiss the charges, and expunge the arrest record.

I did TC successfully, but still wasn't Born Again....until a bit over 2 years ago. I flipped out on an abusive ex-shrink and I was facing charges, this time with an extremely skilled attorney. So, I got saved...this time for realsies. I cried and all that, very touching.

Anyway, Our God is a God of Restoration...my intelligence is back after drugs and electroshock (the shock was involuntary, btw),my permanently scarred follicles now produce "too much hair," I'm remarkably healthy physically, I've "recovered" from "treatment" (I say I was restored or healed, but...nobody listens to me, lol). Oh...and the charges were reduced to a (serious) misdemeanor. I'm on low supervision probation for a nice, long, while. When probation is over, I may be able to get an expungment order (I know, its getting to be a habit).

So...as for "deals with God," I dunno. I'm kind of wondering if I actually made one, and if I did, what exactly my "end of the bargain" is. I'm just now back in touch w/ reality, so....I'm hoping that I can get a j-o-b at some point. I figure every Christian is a "living sacrifice," so as long as I make use of what God has given me and do right this time around, maybe (hopefully?) I'll be keeping my end of the deal.

And that...is my story. :)
 
StoveBolts said:
Great testimony Christ_empowered I think I remember when you had your bout with your shrink lol

Kenny_ms Great comments. Thanks for sharing

jasonc Rashi has some good thoughts on these verses.
Click to expand...
there are vows, that were done, but well. like I said some vows we cant make. I vow to be a loving husband. if we are honest we cant keep that we will at times fail that is what they mean. I made a vow similar to what ce did. yet honeslty I haven't keep my side. if this was in the days of moses. I might be judged for that. that is where im coming from.
 
jasonc YHVH made a covenant with Abram by way of a smoking pot... and it was a valid transaction.
Here is where I'm going Jason. We know that Jacob was running for his life. He was leaving the only life he knew. Sure, he grew up hearing the promises and knowing of his fathers God. But it wasn't his faith.

All to often we don't have our own faith.... Kids who grow up in christian families often don't have their own faith... They know, but do they really believe in their core?

I"m thinking of much much more... but I"m out of time...
 
Christ_empowered, glad everything worked out for you and it doesn't sound like God paid you back for not holding up to your first bargain but when I think about it, it is all about forgiveness and those are actually Gods rules so him adhering to them shouldn't surprise me.

Been in Jail a couple times myself, once for 3 months county time and again form the same charge of growing pot for 2 weeks, got a real lawyer the second time and it paid off. I had a bad attitude though since I have pretty severe case of the residuals of Polio in one leg, I did it to live because they refused me disability and though I know it's wrong to break the law, I wasn't sorry. The state got that too as, yes, it was a first offense but 3 months for $1,000,000 worth of pot in my backyard was darned lenient. I got disability soon after the second jail stay.
 
StoveBolts said:
jasonc YHVH made a covenant with Abram by way of a smoking pot... and it was a valid transaction.
Here is where I'm going Jason. We know that Jacob was running for his life. He was leaving the only life he knew. Sure, he grew up hearing the promises and knowing of his fathers God. But it wasn't his faith.

All to often we don't have our own faith.... Kids who grow up in christian families often don't have their own faith... They know, but do they really believe in their core?

I"m thinking of much much more... but I"m out of time...
Click to expand...
that was the torah and God set that up not abram. I just don't think its wise to do that. but I will when I get the response from kent forward it. he taught the inner healing class and they had a chapter on vows and promises. it was more on the negative ones then the positives

a negative one we all make that ex of mine , I swear will never hurt me again or any woman in that manner . so we raise a wall to protect and we will then not be able to love our wife as we ought due to that shield
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top