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Dedication: Journey Back To God Lesson 3 Series
Contributed by Elmer Towns on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: What pulls us from God?
A. WHAT PULLS US FROM GOD?
1. Money, making it, spending it, not having it
2. Difficulties
3. Job
4. Striving for acceptance or recognition of people
5. Family problems, divorce, spouse, etc.
6. Sin
7. Addiction to sports, sex, porn, alcohol, etc.
âGod told Jacob to move his family back to Bethel, and build a home and altar there because âthat is where I appeared to you when you were running away from Esau.â So Jacob commanded everyone with him, âGet rid of your idols of foreign gods, purify yourself, and put on clean clothes. Iâm going to build an altar to God who answers my prayers and has been with me.â So they gave their idols to Jacob and he buried them under an oak tree at Shechem. As they traveled, a terror of God settled over the people they passed in different towns, and no one attacked Jacob. Eventually, they arrived and called it Bethel. They built an altar and called it El Bethel which means âthe God of Bethel,â because God appeared to him there. When they got there, Rebekahâs nurse (Deborah) died and she was buried under a tree (itâs called Allon Bachuth) which means oak of weeping.
When Jacob arrived, God appeared to him, âYour name is no longer Jacob (Deceiver), you shall be called Israel (Prince with God).â God said to him, âI am God Almighty (El Shaddai). Be fruitful and multiply. Kings and a great nation shall come from you. The land I promised to Abraham and Isaac, I promise to you and your descendants.â When God left, Jacob set up an altar of stones and poured oil on itâ (Gen. 35:1-15, Condensed).
B. WHAT MADE JACOB JOURNEY BACK TO GOD?
1. Danger. âLabanâs sons . . . grumbled . . . Jacob has robbed our fatherâ (31:1, NLT).
2. His boss turned against him. âJacob began to notice a change in Labanâs attitude toward himâ (31:2, NLT).
3. Inner conscience. âGod made me wealthy at your fatherâs expenseâ (31:9, LB).
4. Memory. âCrossed the Euphrates River, heading for . . . Gileadâ (31:21, NLT).
C. HOW TO JOURNEY BACK TO GOD
1. Jacob remembers meeting God at Bethel. âLord, you told me to returnâ (32:9, NLT).
2. The Word of God pulls us back, âGod said . . . âArise go up to Bethelââ (35:1, NKJV).
3. The pull of Godâs presence, âThere God appeared to himâ (35:7).
4. Returning involves a journey, more than a single decision or desire.
5. The atmospheric presence of God; where we touch God and He touches us.
6. Repentance from foreign gods. A god is anything that gets between you and the Lord. âThou shalt have no other gods before meâ (Ex. 20:3).
7. Separate or destroy idols so they wonât tempt you again.
a. You demonstrate sincerity to yourself and others.
b. You show God you are serious.
c. You do it completely. âDig a hole and bury themâ (Gen. 35:2, ELT).
8. Repentance comes at beginning of your journey. âBuried them . . . Shechemâ (35:4, NLT).
9. Others know when you are on the journey with God. âThe terror of God was upon themâ (35:5, NKJV).
10. Build an altar (35:7); the place of blood to cleanse from sin (1 John 1:7).
11. Tie your rededication to your salvation. First, âI will build an altar to Godâ (Gen. 35:3, NLT). Then, finally they arrived . . . built an altar (35:6).
12. Rededication results in a new calling and vision. âI will give it (the land) to you and your descendantsâ (35:12, NLT).
13. Document your rededication. Jacob set up a stone pillar . . . marked the place . . . poured wine . . . anointed with olive oil (35:14). We write in Bible, or journal, letters, public testimony, etc.
14. A rededication service ends and we go on living. âGod went up from the placeâ (35:13).
15. Rededication does remove lifeâs problems that come. âSo Rachel died and was buriedâ (35:19).
16. Spiritual problems and compromise surrounds those who rededicate to God.
a. Jacobâs son, Reuben, slept with his fatherâs concubine (35:22).
b. Jacobâs Father, Isaac, died, âEsau and Jacob buried himâ (35:29).
c. Rededication doesnât eliminate lifeâs problems; it gives you strength and purpose to go through them.
D. WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT AFTER REDEDICATION?
1. Rejoice in a new relationship with God. âYour name is no longer Jacob . . . but Israelâ (35:14, ELT).
2. Strength from a new vision, âThe land . . . I will give it to you and your descendantsâ (35:12, NLT).
3. New purpose in life. âYour descendantsâ (35:12).
4. Revitalized by the memory of encountering God.
5. Expect new opposition when God works in your life.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart: