Q2. God's Increase

[Pastor Ralph]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

[pickledilly]

As Laban kept changing the terms of agreement by changing which coloration of animals Jacob could keep, an astonishing pattern emerged. Evidently when Laban saw a trend of spotted livestock, he would claim those for himself and tell Jacob to keep the striped ones. But amazingly, the next round of lambs and kids would be striped. Laban kept switching it up with every cycle. I don't imagine it took but a round or two of that for Jacob to catch on to the fact that the LORD was intervening on his behalf. This must have been such an encouraging demonstration of God's faithfulness to His promises to provide for Jacob!

When we prosper it is most tempting to think we have produced our wealth out of our own strengths and abilities. The primary danger would be to forget that the LORD is the source of any ability to produce wealth. He is the giver of all good gifts (James 1:17).

[iam4-1god]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

Probably when he realized that he was more prosperous than Laban, did he know what was going on, and Who was behind it all.

We forget about God, and attribute our success to our own capabilities. I've seen first-hand, what does happen when some become "better off" financially-they forget about God. May it never be so!

[Commissioned]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

Jacob knew that God's hands was with him and that He was responsible for the coloration patterns because as Laban change the specification the sheep and goats increased in Jacob's favor. According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, the danger we are in when our income and assets begin to increase is the temptation to believe that it was be our power that we acquired the wealth. We take the credit and leave God out.

[masika]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

Jacob realized that is God who gave him wisdom, understanding, skill, bodily strength and health in the technique he used during breeding time.

In times of plenty, we often take credit for our prosperity and become proud that our own hard work and cleverness have made us rich. It is easy to get so busy collecting and managing wealth that we push God right out of our lives. But it is God who gives us everything we have, and it is God who asks us to manage it for him.

[JulieAnn]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

Jacob knew that God was in charge because God told him He was. When Laban would change the rules, the sheep would change, too. Jacob knew how breeding worked and knew there was no way the sheep could change under his own control. God promised Jacob He would be blessed and Jacob knew his wealth was part of that blessing. Jesus taught a great deal on the dangers of wealth. We start to believe we can do anything and stop acknowledging that everything we have comes from God. He can bless and He can take away, which is always a blessing even though we may not see it that way. God wants us close to Him. But if our wealth is keeping us from Him, He may choose to take it away from us. He owns it all. We are but mere stewards, honored to manage whatever He gives us.

[Vincent Paul DiMino]

Our Lord reveals himself to us on many levels.Even before this issue of animal husbandry,Jacob angrily answers (as a human husband), his beloved Rachel's impassioned plea ("give me children,or I die" : Gen. 30)with "Am I in God's stead ?".We will be judged by every careless word;apparently we may also be blessed by speaking Truth,beyond our understanding (like prophesy;Jacob may have been receiving more wisdom than he was aware of).In Gen 31:3 the Lord tells Jacob to return to the land of his fathers.In Gen 31:6 Jacob says,"I have served your father with all my power".If he truely believes this,then he is admitting that he has NO POWER to effect changes in livestock's coloring; but is he really speaking from the deapth of his heart,or again,speaking TRUTH,beyond his own understanding.In Genesis 31:7, he speaks correctly,as,"God suffered him not to hurt me".Does he fully believe this,at this point,or would he rather not take credit for his own attempts to do something other than "serve her father with all his power" In Gen 31:10 Jacob has a dream (his accepted means of receiving revelation from God),and in Gen 31:12 God tells him,"For I have seen all that Laban doest unto thee".Jacob has been brought,step by step,into a much greater awareness of the TRUTH within his own words,when he (Gen 30:33) said, "So shall 'my righteousness' answer for me." [The Lord IS: Our Righteousness !].

Moses (in Deuteronomy 8) starts this discussion,back in verse 10 with: "When thou hast eaten and art full...,then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God..." and adds the warning in verse 11 to "Beware that you don't forget the Lord thy God".This sets up the culmanation of the sin of Deut.8:17:"...And you say in your heart,MY power...".And again he reinforces the point (this is the book of Deuteronomy) in 8:18 :"...for it is HE that giveth...".

Please pray that this TRUTH be written in our hearts.

(Thanks for sending the lesson.)

[quilter]

Trusting God when nothing seems to happen is hard.But it is harder to live with the consequences of taking matters into our on hands.I think Jacob realized to be patience

and wait upon God

When we think our prosperity is all our doing we are only fooling ourselves.It is so

easy to let God slip out of lives when all is well.But it is God who blesses us with abundance.He also ask us to manage it for him.Let us not forget God in our abundance

or He will remove his blessing from us. The most valuable thing we have in our lives is

our relationship with God and it is FREE

[Stan]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

I am not sure that Jacob ever thought his tricks worked but after the first time Laban changed his wages and God changed the color of the sheep he must have known that it was God not himself.Deut 8:17 You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. We may forget that God is our provider and that everything that we have is His we are only to care for it and give HIm praise for the blessings if we forget to give God His glory the we are in sin and take a chance of failing to get to the promise land like Moses.

[charisbarak]

I think Jacob knew once Laban began changing the rules. Beyond what Jacob thought he was doing, God was orchestrating His will to be done and would change the sequence of coloration in the animals so Jacob would always be ahead.

We're always in danger of taking credit for what has happened, not giving God the glory He deserves.

[okno]

"The God of my father has been with me.... Your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. God has taken away your father's livestock and has given them to me" (31:5-9)

[WALT39]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth?

When Jacob saw that Laban's attitude had changed toward him, he called Rachael and Leah and told them in Genesis 31: 5-9, "He said to them, "I see that your father's attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. You know that I've worked for your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. If he said, 'The speckled ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, 'The streaked ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks bore streaked young. So God has taken away your father's livestock and has given them to me." At this point, he knew that God was with him and that God had to be the source of his success.

According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

Deuteronomy 8:17-18-You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. God provides us with gifts and empowers us to use them. We all must realize this in order to be successful in God's eyes.

[Jen]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

I don't believe that Jacob believed any of the wives tale but I do think after serving his devious uncle for so many years that he learned a lot about dear Uncle Laban from observation of the man and he learned how to defeat him at his own game. John MacArthur says that Jacob knew a lot about genes after tending his fathers sheep for most of his 90 years and also that there was something in the bark that put a stimulant in the water to promote the mating activity when he desired it. Jacob seemed to be pretty innocent about the whole offer so he obviously learned how to approach his uncle well. Uncle Laban who knew how a trickster thinks should have been a little suspicious but I am sure he was to cocky for caution.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 says that we tend to forget God (hence the warning) when we get wealthy and think that we ourselves did it. There are a couple verses in Deuteronomy (to sidetrack for a moment) that I believe tell us what real wealth is. Deuteronomy 4:7,8: "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgements as are in all the law which I set before you this day." Apparently many that day and many today have forgotten real wealth is in God and from God. 1 Chron. 29: 11-15 expresses it beautifully. May we all remember who we are and where we come from and give glory to our God.

God Bless!

Jen

Numbers 6:24-26

Luke 12:16-21 is a parable about a man who thumbed his nose at the Lord of Hosts to his own destruction. Put together complacency and a sin nature and that is the only end result.

We need to pray for each other!!

[hidi]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

I have a plaque that says "A coincidence is God's say of remaining anonymous". I am sure that the first time the sheep turned out a certain pattern Jacob may have thought he was lucky, but as time goes by and it happens over and over again you have to know that you do not possess the power to make that happen. The more you know God the more you recognize his work. There is no luck or coincidence just God's will.

We are always at risk when things are going well, and our income and assets grow because we as human beings begin to blow our own horn, and enjoy our accomplishments. We must always remain thankful to God for all our blessings: job,income,home,vehicles,family,friends, and our health among many blessings he gives us. Material things are nice, but they can disappear in a minute, because in our christian walk they are not as important as our relationship with God.

[Patriciaa]

At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? Jacob realizes that God is the cause of his growing wealth when each time the terms of the wages changed, the animals produced would be in Jacob

[Delivered]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth?

I think the moment Laban admitted to Jacob that the LORD had blessed him because of Jacob, Jacob understood this truth, God said

[hanks]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43)

At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth?

According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

Jacob sees that even with Laban changing the conditions of the deal, his own flocks are increasing; he now knows God is in control, and keeping His promises as Jacob begins to prosper. The biggest danger we face is that when we begin to prosper we often take the credit for it; forgetting that everything we have and even every breath we take all comes from our Heavenly Father. We push God into the background and never realize that we are only His stewards.

[Lion of Grace]

OK.....this has always been a confusing passage for me, so this is a "figuring it out" answer and any help is welcome.

At what point does Jacob realize his breeding technique is not causing the growth of his wealth?

Did he ever realize it through the mating season? It seems to me he was making a good old try at depending on the branches and at using only strong animals and placing the weak ones in Laban's flock. God was prospering Jacob, but it seems he was trying that "plus" himself. If he didn't believe the branches were helping....why use them? If he really thought God was in complete control to prosper him, why did he work it out that only the strong mated for him and all the weak went to Laban? I suppose that was good breeding technique to prosper....but did he trust God yet?

Later, he sees that Laban and son's are grumbling....and he is concerned. God comes and tells him to go back to the land of his father and to his relatives and that He will be with him. I'm brought to mind at this point, of Jacob's vow. "If God will be with me and watch over me on my journey and give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God.....and of all you have given me, I will give you a tenth." Then, he goes to his wives with concern about their father and his attitude. And at this point, I think he really turns and he confesses that God has been with him. That God caused the flocks to prosper for him and God had given them to him. It is interesting to me that everything Jacob asked of God at this point is proven true and from God. He even shares a dream he had at breeding season where God showed all that would happen. I really think this is where he realized not anything he did caused any wealth on his own. This was God faithful to him and the promised covenant and Jacob declares not (as before) "if" God would do it He would accept Him as God....but "God of my father has done this!" Then, in obedience, he goes.

Any accumulated wealth is a danger to us if we come to believe that we have gotten it for ourselves. Not only in matters of pride or in arrogance to others, but also in not giving back to God what is God's. I've also seen predjudice come out of it in social classes....even in the church that God is not with those without money and that some are more elite because they have money. There are sinners who are rich and there are devout who are poor. I personally love Proverbs 30:7-9.

[Elwood C O'Dell]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth?

Perhaps it would be as he sees Laban change the terms of the agreement as to which animals can be his and each time Laban does this the marking on the animals change so that the flock becomes Jacobs. Perhaps Jacobs sees the hand of God controlling this situation.

According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

If you start thinking to yourselves, "I did all this. And all by myself. I'm rich. It's all mine!"-- well, think again. Remember that GOD, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors--as it is today. (The Message) We are in the danger of thinking that we are responsible for the increase rather than God.

[JanMary]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth?

I wonder if it started to dawn on Jacob, when Laban admitted that God had blessed him since Jacob began working for him, recalling the blessing given him by his Father Isaac, and reiterated by the Lord at the place Jacob named House of God...Bethel. Favor had been promised him. When the flocks began to produce the spotted and stiped offspring Laban said would be his, in large numbers, I think he "got it". God had promised him that he would return to the land he'd left in his flight to escape Esau, and he would need wealth in order to support himself and his large family. It tickled me how like many of us, Jacob tried to help God out by trying to manipulate the outcome of what God had already promised!

According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

Pride and arrogance....the false belief that we have made the increase, for He gives us the ability to work and produce and earn our income.

I love this verse: Isaiah 26:12 " Lord you will ordain peace (God's favor and blessings, both temporal and spiritual) for us, for all that we have accomplished, You have done for us".

[Greta]

I think that Jacob realised that God would enable the right coloration of livestock At The Time he spoke to Laban about his wages. God had promised Jacob, long ago, that he would be a wealthy man, and the few animals that would be born with the right colouring (in the natural) would not be sufficient to make him wealthy.

His faith in God gave him great expectation that God would make a way for him and that God already had everything in hand, and so He had. Every time Laban changed the wages, God had already pre-planned the colour of the livestock that were just about to be born.

We have to be very careful when our finances improve and give all the credit and glory to God - for it is God who gives us wealth and the strength to work for our living.

Love from Greta

[Seeking His Face]

Q2. (Genesis 30:25-43) At what point do you think Jacob realizes that his breeding techniques are not the cause of his growing wealth? According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18, what danger are we in when our income and assets begin to increase?

Because Laban kept changing the rules, but Jacob was under God's protection, like the scripture says what you meant for evil God used for my good.when we are successful we tend to think we did ourselves.

[haar]

Jacob became aware that it was not his breeding technique that was causing the increase in his stock when he noticed that his stock still increased even when Laban changed the sharing arrangement.

When we become rich and our assets have increased, we could be tempeted to think that it was our effort that caused the increase. We should however always attribute our success to the Lord God, the Great Provider.

[janel]

Q2

In spite of his breeding techniques the cunning Laban kept changing the coloration patterns but God intervened. Jacob being diligent has done all he can and knows and attributes his growing wealth to God.

According to Deuteronomy 8:17-18 when our income and assets begin to increase, we must not forget the covenant God had made with us, His commandments, His ordinances and His statutes. It is He who provides our needs. Failing on our part, we will be perished from His sight.

[Pearl]

Jacob knows that God is with him. He did all that he knew how to do, but he realised that it was God Himself who blessed his work.

According to Deteronomy 8:17-18, It is God who gives us the power to get wealth. We have to realize that if we begin to think that it is us, we can fall into one of the deadly sins, which is pride. We have to acknowledge God in all of our ways and He will direct our paths.