Making Deals with God? : LTLFM

Making Deals With God?

It is very common for people to try to make a deal with God for something want or desire when praying. This free bible study explains what happens when you make a deal with God. Free printable version is available.

Making deals with God

Making deals with God
Have you ever found yourself making deals with God?
Have you ever found yourself in a frightening or desperate situation in your life and asked God to protect you or fix the problem but also promised Him something in return? If you make a deal with God, you best make sure you are ready to uphold your end of the bargain.
Have you ever said things like, "God, If you help me through this situation I am in right now, I will do whatever you want?" Did He give you the results you were seeking? Maybe He did and maybe He didn't and if He did not you can be sure He had good reason. Just trust Him.
Did you follow up on your end of the deal?
Were you only interested in getting assistance with your immediate problem at the time?
Many times people are not really interested in loving Him unless He does something for them, right then. Could you ignore your spouse, child, partner or associate for years and then in your time of need come pleading for assistance?
Do you think they would care what you wanted after you had rejected and neglected them for years?
God takes our "deal's", very seriously. In other words, if you tell God you are going to do something you need to hold up your end of the bargain.
What would happen if you do not hold up to your end of a bargain or deal with people? They probably would not assist you in your time of need again. For example, if you loan money from a bank and you pay it back on time; they will most likely assist you again if you need more money. However, if you do not pay them back, they will refuse to help you when you need it the next time. The bank or loan institution will then report you to a credit reporting agency which will document your poor budgeting methods. Read the Bible study-Making deals with God and then ask yourself , How is your credit with God?

The First Deal Breaker
Adam and Eve knew they had broke the deal, were ashamed of what they did, and hid from God to avoid the punishment which was sure to result from their deal breaking actions. Prior to this first sin, first deception there was no evil and the Lord God often walked in the garden talking with Adam and Eve but because of their actions God would no longer be able to walk and talk with them. When we break a deal with God He gets angry because He makes sure that we know what He expects of us when we read and study His word. When God came looking for Adam and Eve, at his usual time he found them hiding because they were afraid of what their punishment would be for disobeying God and neither of them wanted to take the blame for their direct disobedience, probably thinking that by shifting the blame they could avoid punishment.People often do things they know are wrong but do not want to accept the blame or the consequences of their actions and it has always been that way since Adam and Eve committed the first sin-the first act of disobedience-the first deal breaker.

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Gen. 3:8
And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? Gen. 3:9 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. Gen. 3:10
And he said, Who told thee that thou was naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? Gen. 3:11

The First Blaming
Adam blames Eve
When God questioned Adam about who could have told him he was naked Adam blamed Eve.

And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree,and I did eat. Gen. 3:12

Eve blames the Serpent
When God questioned Eve, she right away, blamed the serpent for deceiving her.

And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Gen. 3:13

The first punishment for disobedience for the first sin-breaking the deal with God
Before making a deal with God it is of utmost importance that we are aware of the punishment that will result from the act of disobedience or the act of breaking a deal you make with God. God does not take disobedience lightly. Basically, if God says not to do something you automatically agree to His terms of the agreement when you become saved and baptized. Adam, Eve, and the serpent received a severe punishment not only on themselves but on all generations to come!
God cursed the serpent.
The first punishment was meed out to the serpent. God cursed him above all cattle and beasts of the field, made him crawl on his belly and eat dust, and made him an enemy of the woman for the rest of his existence:
1. Cursed above cattle and beasts of the field
2. Crawl on his belly
3. Eat dust
4. Become the enemy of woman

And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: Gen.3:14
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Gen. 3:15

God cursed the woman
The woman’s curses are pain in childbirth and submission to her husband’s authority which are still in effect:
1. Pain in childbirth
2. Submit to her husband’s authority to rule over her

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Gen. 3:16

God Cursed the Man Because He broke the Deal by Disobeying God
God reprimanded and punished the man for disobeying by doing what God told him not to do.Adam chose to listen to his wife and not God. Adams curses were many and were given to him and all generations after him:
1. The ground curse
2. Eating from the ground curse3. The curse of thorns and thistles
4. Hard work
5. Death. The ground and eating from the ground curse
And unto Adam he said, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Gen. 3:17
The curse of thorns and thistles
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; Gen.3:18
The curse of hard work and death
In the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Gen. 3:19

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and, lest he put forth his hand, and take also fof the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Gen. 3:22
Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. Gen. 3:23

So he drove out the man and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Gen. 3:24

Whether to God or people; Breaking your word is not an option
In the bible promises are called covenants. God made many covenants to us and He keeps His end of the bargain you can be sure. When you speak your vow out loud you are expected to do what it is that you said you would.

And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded. Num. 30:1
If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. Num. 30:2

When a Woman makes a vow
If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; Num. 30:3 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. Num. 30:4

When a woman makes a vow

When you get saved, in essence you are making a deal with God, in which you will be held accountable for. Getting saved means accepting Christ as your savior and as the Son of God, and allowing His Spirit to live inside of you. As a child of God you are then expected to love the Lord, obey Him, follow His commandments, become His disciples and tell others about Him.
Very much like any deal, contract, covenant or promise. If you make an agreement whether it be with God or man, you should always hold up to your end of the deal. If you are unsure if you are capable of holding up your end of the deal then you should not make the agreement. If you break an agreement, for whatever reasons be prepared to face the consequences for your actions. Unfortunately, in many cases, the consequences for your actions have a direct affect on other people’s lives as well, which should be taken into consideration prior to making an agreement. When you accept responsibility for something, make an agreement or a deal, so to speak, then it is your moral obligation to fulfill your end of the bargain, you must hold up to your end of the agreement whether it be with God or man or suffer the consequences, you and anyone you have involved in it. Be careful of the agreements you make. Be sure that they are in line with the word of God. Be assured that if you make a promise to God that He will be sure to hold you to it.

Memory Verse

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36

Quote of the day
"God is the only inspiration that should rule all nations"-Rev. Penny Dean