What devotion and love he had (see Genesis 29:1, 4 - 5, 9 - 12, 16 - 18, 20 - 22, 25 - 28)!When I was a teenager (fifty-something years ago), no one picked a girl and decided they would be dating.And he said to him, "You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father.And take a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother" (Genesis 28:1 - 2, HBFV)The narrative jumps to Genesis 29 where Jacob fell head over heels in love with his cousin Rachel.There is a plague that is grieving the heart of God because it is preventable and can be stopped.It has spread among all churches and is particularly rampant in society.However, through time the United States has drifted far from these standards and at the present our moral standards are shocking the world. The sin of fornication is being committed even among Christians, as many couples “live together” and have sex before marriage. We have counseled Christians of the opposite sex who share an apartment and they told us they were not having sex so this surely wasn’t wrong.

But if we have the ability to give, then we should give delighting in the help and joy that it will bring others who need to see the love of God manifested in their lives through giving.2 Corinthians says, “For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.” He wants us to have readiness of heart, hearts that are open to His leading and available to do His work.This epidemic is the practice of lying and dishonesty. — A lying tongue is not only something God hates, it is also something that is an abomination to Him.These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.Thus, God says that we should store up treasure in heaven where it cannot be destroyed, stolen, or rot away (Matthew -20) by investing in the kingdom of God and not hoarding things because of greed.There is nothing wrong with wanting to make money, but some will sacrifice their health, their family, and their opportunity to serve in the kingdom of Christ just so that they can make some extra money.