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GOOD NEWS Letters & SERIES Teachings>
THE GOOD, BAD and UGLY-Part-2 By: Pastor A. Bascon
October 7, 2009
The GOOD, BAD and UGLY-Part2 By: Pastor A. Bascon
Jealousy is something that can be used in a negative way as well as in a positive manner. In Ex.20:5, we read that our God is a jealous God!Paul says that our God has a godly jealousy for His converts!
Paul refers to the Christians at Corinth in 2COR.11:2."For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:for I have espoused you one husband,that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
Some of them were seeking other apostle's doctrines etc... So Paul refers to his concern for them as godly jealousy.He urges them not to take up the traditions of the inhabitants of the land. He urges them to NOT go after other gods,strange gods such as Baal,Satan etc.we may visualize them as demonic spirits.
But,anything you put before God,can be a god! For example: a particular person, a husband, a wife, material things etc. All can become small gods or idols. Yet,the 'godly' jealousy that Paul was speaking of is a 'good' kind of jealousy. The 'bad' kind of jealousy, is defined in the dictionary as: a state of fear. This type of jealousy can be easily provoked. This 'bad' jealousy also has some very close cousins such as:envy,(a mix of jealousy & covetedness).Jealousy and envy are included in the seven deadly sins that the Lord hates, which we read of in PROV.6:16.
In NUM.5:15-25, we read of a jealousy offering. If a wife was suspected of committing adultery, the wife was taken to the priest. Num 5:15 says: Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest,and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon;for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
Num.5:18 says: And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head,and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:Num5:25 tells us:The priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer it upon the altar: Simply put: if a wife was suspected of committing adultery, the wife was taken to the priest.The priest would mix dirt with water and have the woman to drink it. If her belly swelled and her thighs began to rot, she was guilty of adultery!(Numbers 5:21-31.) There are other examples of jealousy in scripture, such as in Num.12. We read of Miriam and Aaron speaking against Moses.In v.2,they question:"Has the LORD indeed spoken ONLY through Moses? Has He not spoken through US also?" In other words, it is like they are saying:"Who does Moses think he is, God's kingpin?" They were jealous toward Moses! Well,God has BIG ears! He heard what was spoken about His servant Moses! His servant Moses who was humble,the most humble man on the face of the earth!
NU.12:2-3.Keep in mind what God's Word says in:1Ch 16:22 Saying,
"Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm."
As we read on in Numbers12:4-10 we read of the "consequence" of their jealousy!
Num.12:7 tells us this jealous behavior is not so with Moses; for here we read that God says: "Moses is faithful in all My house!" In verses7-8 we see the type of relationship that Moses had with God. He had a so called: "face-to-face" relationship!God did not speak to Moses in dreams or visions; but, He had an even greater relationship with him. So much so,that God asked Aaron & Miriam:
"Why were you not 'afraid' to speak against My servant Moses?" They couldn't help themselves but to be jealous toward Moses.
Now, bear in mind, that there are "consequences" when jealousy, envy and etc.. are set in to action! Now, take a look at what happened here. And v.9 says that the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed.
In v.10 we read that Miriam became leprous,as white as snow! Just like that!Can you just imagine the whole congregation hearing of this? Their leader, Moses's sister, comes down with leprousy!
Miriam had to remain outside the camp for seven days until she was brought back in again. She must have repented.
There are consequences in harboring 'bad' jealousy! Jealousy is throughout the entire Bible, both the New and Old Testaments.
Another example is: Joseph, when he told his family that he had a dream and in his dream, his family was bowing down towards him. I'm sure they had some animosity towards Joseph. One day the brothers went out into the field and while seeing Joseph, they said: "Here comes the dreamer!" Left unchecked, jealousy will progress from 'bad' to 'death!' Here, Joseph's brothers threw him into the pit to die. He didn't die;but was sold to traveling merchants. And, as we read concerning Joseph, we see how God protected and raised Joseph up. Again, we have the example of Esau and how he was cheated of his blessings by his brother Jacob. We also can read of King Saul and how he lost the anointing and became jealous of David. The people raved more about David than they did of Saul. King Saul wanted to kill David! And as we read on, we see that David played the spiritual hymns that revived King Saul; yet, Saul still was determined to kill David! We can also read how Pharoah became jealous of the Jewish population. He persued after the Jews and commanded male babies to be killed. King Herod did the same; for he was jealous of the Messiah! Herod commanded that every boy child two years old and under be put to death! Jealousy even killed Jesus! When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, some of the Pharisees saw it and said: "Look, the whole world is going after Him!" Pontius Pilate asked the people who they wanted to be set free: Barabas or Jesus. Pilate knew why the religious leaders wanted Jesus dead. Pilate knew it was jealousy!(ugly jealousy!) And, ugly jealousy just goes from 'bad' to 'worse,' until someone dies! Genesis 4:1- Speaks of Caine and Abel's offerings to God. Abel, a shepherd, gave his choicest offering of the best of his flock to God; and God accepted Abel's offering. However, God did not accept Caine's (who was a farmer) offering. As we read of this story, Abel wanted to share his delight, that God had accepted his offering, with his brother Caine. Caine, on the other hand felt rejected. They probably go home, Abel shares his good news with his parents; while Caine blames his parents that if they had made him the shepherd rather than the farmer, God would have accepted his offering!
And, of course,the more Caine entertained the thought, the more jealous he becomes! So jealous, that he became very angry. God warns Caine in GEN.4:7-"If you do well,will you not be accepted?
And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door! And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."
However, as we all know, Caine murders his brother Abel. This is the very first record of a human being being killed! Up to this time, no human being had ever been killed. What Caine was doing was the result of his angry jealousy. He is now plotting to do evil (premeditated murder). When you experience jealousy, you have to knip it in the bud! You have to deal with it! You have to do something about that attitude--for sin lieth at the door! Deal with it, and overcome it! Look at when the LORD asked Caine: "Where is your brother?" And Caine answers: "I don't know, am I my brother's keeper?" Imagine his arrogance! Is that the way to talk to God? Being arrogant towards God? Being sycastic and self-righteous? Caine is now lying to God directly! His nature is now similar to the nature of the devil; for God's Word, calls Satan, the Father of Lies. John 8:44Ye are of your father the devil, andG the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. God told Caine to make right his attitude or sin is waiting at the door! If we do not repent, things will only progress to the worst! Caine murders his brother Abel because of his angry jealousy! No remorse, no sorrow, no repentance. All self-righteousness! If you don't take care of that problem, you will pay a consequence! Life for Caine was going to be very difficult! The Word of God says: Genesis 4:11-13- "A fugitive, a vagabond, a wanderer shall you be on the earth." Here we can see the good, the bad and the ugly! Jealousy, anger etc.., must be dealt with immediately or sin is at the door! If it is not dealt with immediately, it will grow very ugly! Okay, so what is the GOOD NEWS? How to get rid of the bad and the ugly, and keep the good. JAMES 3:14-15- Unclean spirits, earthly, sensual and demonic behavior. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit! And, I ask you: "What does the Holy Spirit have to do with demonic things?" Jealousy, envy, bitterness and self-seekingness does not belong in your heart, spirit or mind! None of these things belong in a Christian Believers heart, spirit or our minds. If you experience any such things, you must deal with it while it is in your mind, and not allow it to get to your heart! Deal with it immediately! JAS.3:16-18-This kind of wisdom is NOT from God. It is self-promoting. The wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,willing to yield,full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and with hypocrisy...sown in peace by those who make peace. If you find that you have jealousy, envy, bitterness or any of these things in your heart, God tells us in JAS.4:6-7, SUBMIT yourself to God, RESIST the devil and he will flee (run with terror) from you. Just as Jesus resisted Satan by speaking the Word of God to him, we too, can speak the Word! We can speak to that evil thought! "Get, thee behind Me ... it is written...I am a child of God! I can resist you devil! You are PAU!(Hawiian for finished!) ALOHA! That's it! How do you deal with evil demonic thoughts? Deal with them immediately! Give yourself to God! You may ask: "What happens if it is already in my heart?" Then, repent! Confess it to God, your Heavenly Father! And, He is quick to forgive you your sin, to cleanse you from all unrighteousness! God forgives you, if you are sincere! DRAW NEAR to God, and HE will draw near to YOU! HUMBLE yourself in the sight of the LORD, and HE will lift YOU up! Thank You LORD!
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