Sunday Morning - June 14, 1998
Text: Genesis 28:16-22 "And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
Ephesians 5:14 "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."
THE FEAR OF THE LORD
17. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
Psalms 34:11 "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD."
Psalms 111:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments..."
Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 1:29 "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:"
EARLY IN THE MORNING
18. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, ...
Genesis 19:27 "And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:"
Psalms 63:1 "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;"
MEMORIAL
18. ...and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
Joshua 4:6-7 "That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? 7. ... these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever."
Genesis 35:14 "And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon."
AT THE HOUSE OF GOD
19. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
ABRAM UNDECIDED
Genesis 12:8 "And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD." THERE WAS NO ANSWER
FEAR OF THE LORD WAS TAUGHT THERE
2 Kings 17:28 "Then one of the priests whom they [king of Assyria] had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD."
GOD WAS COMMITTED TO HIM
20. 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,
Genesis 28:14-15 "...in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."
I WILL BE COMMITTED TO HIM
21. So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
I WILL HONOR HIM
22. 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."
WITH MY SUBSTANCE AND FIRSTFRUITS
Proverbs 3:9-10 "Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."
GIVING COST
Genesis 14:18-20 "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20. And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all."
Genesis 14:23 "That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:"
PRINCIPLES OF GIVING
1 Corinthians 16:1-3 "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches [giving is church centered] of Galatia, even so do ye.
2. Upon the first day of the week [giving was regular] let every one [giving was for everyone] of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered [proportionate giving] him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
3. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem." [carefully handled]
SACRIFICIAL
2 Corinthians 8:1-2,5 "Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2. How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
5. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God."
GIVING BY GRACE
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 "...He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:"
GIVE
Luke 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
R. G. LeTourneau used to say, "If you give because it pays, it won't pay."
INDIVIDUAL GIVING
Philippians 4:15-16 "Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
16. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity."
SPIRITUAL SACRIFICE
Philippians 4:18-19 "But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. 19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
PRAYERS AND ALMS, A MEMORIAL
Acts 10:4 "he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God."