# 268 With A Glad Heart

The Book of Genesis

Day 268

Ge 29:15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?"  16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. 18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter." 19 And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me." 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

First, a little bit about the “delicate” eyes of Leah. Scholars have a difficult time with the Hebrew word used here, but I think it’s safe to say, that she was not as attractive to Jacob as Rachel. And was he ever infatuated with Rachel. Think about this:

It was the custom of the day to pay a price for the bride. Jacob had no money, so he offered to work for Laban for seven years, just so he could have Rachel as his bride. Seven years! How much money did you make last year? Multiply that by seven and you have the price that Jacob was willing to pay in dollars and cents!

The other beautiful thing about this passage is that Jacob felt that seven years of servitude was like a couple of days to him because of the love he had for Rachel.

I wonder if we could say the same thing about our love for Jesus? Service with a glad heart always makes the time fly. Oh I know, many times, we, like John long for the return of our Groom Jesus, “Even so, come Lord Jesus,” but in the meantime, we ought to seek to serve Him with gladness. I am reminded of the words of the 120^th Psalm, (especially verse 2!)

Ps 100:1 <<A Psalm of Thanksgiving.>> Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!  2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.  3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

I can just picture Jacob serving and singing with a joyful, thankful, heart as he waited for the day Rachel would be fully his! Should we not do the same?

Jesus counted it joy to serve us in a way we cannot even imagine! Heb 12:2says this about Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus loves you ! Tell your face about it, and serve Him with a glad heart!

# 267 A Holy Kiss!

The Book of Genesis

Day 267

Ge 29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.  12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he was Rebekah's son. So she ran and told her father.  13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things.  14 And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month.

Wow! There sure is a lot of kissing going on here! What’s with all this show of affection? I hope you noticed that Jacob didn’t greet the other shepherds with a kiss! The kiss was reserved for his kinfolk, for Rachel and Laban, his family.

This kind of family greeting has pretty much gone by the wayside in our American culture, but you will still find it being practiced in the “old country” families.  It still sends the same message. “We are family.”

This cultural kiss of greeting is mentioned five times in the New Testament where it is often referred to as “a holy kiss.” The first mention is found in Ro 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.

Why this emphasis on a “holy kiss” in the New Testament? Because as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we become brothers and sisters, sealed with the Holy Spirit. We are family, just like Jacob, Rachel, and Laban! And families use hugs and kisses in greeting to demonstrate to all, the family bond. In fact, the word “greet” means to embrace! 

It’s sad in a way, that we have reduced our family greetings in the Body of Christ to at best a handshake. Could we at least, make it a “warm” handshake? Our style of greeting says a lot about our closeness as a family. It’s a lot more natural to greet a brother and sister whom you have connected with through mutual Bible Studies and times of prayer with a hug and even a holy kiss!

I think the lesson for all of us, is to realize that through faith in Jesus Christ, and the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit in us, we are kinfolk! We are family! Let’s greet each other as if that were true, and more importantly, let’s treat each other like it were true. Let’s do the work of connecting with each other in our interactions. Let’s not just do church together, let’s start doing life together. As we put our fellowship into practice, the holy greetings will follow naturally.

# 266 He Rolled the Stone Away

The Book of Genesis

Day 266

Ge 29:1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. 2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well's mouth. 3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well's mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well's mouth. 4 And Jacob said to them, "My brethren, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from Haran." 5 Then he said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him." 6 So he said to them, "Is he well?" And they said, "He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep." 7 Then he said, "Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them." 8 But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep." 9 Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

There is something supernatural going on here. Jacob arrives at Haran and stops at a well. There were three flocks of sheep at the well. That means there were at least three shepherds at the well when Jacob arrived. None of them are watering their sheep because there is a large stone over the well’s mouth. This stone was placed there to keep others from pilfering the water or contaminating the water, or even filling it up with earth.

This stone was large enough that it would take several shepherds to move it! They told Jacob that that they did not move the stone until they were all gathered together.

But look what happens! Jacob sees Rachel coming with her sheep and he rolls the stone away all by himself! How did he do that?  Obviously he had help from on high!

I don’t want to read more into this event than actually is there, but I can’t help but see a foreshadowing of an event involving the rolling away of another large stone. One day another stone that had been put in place and sealed, and guarded so that no one would pilfer it, was supernaturally rolled away to reveal the empty tomb. The tomb that had held One who came from the seed of Jacob. One who is the unpolluted Living Water for all the world! And all who believe in this wellspring of life, Jesus Christ, shall never thirst.

Are you thirsty? Come to Jesus and drink! The lid is off the well and available to all who will come!

# 265 Tithing: A Great Place To Start

The Book of Genesis

Day 265

Ge 28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on,  21 "so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God.  22 "And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."

Let’s talk a little bit about tithing. This is the first time it has been brought up in Scripture since the incident with Abraham and Melchizedek.  If you recall, Melchizedek was a high priest, a type of Christ, and Abraham gave him a tithe of all the spoils of the battle. By tithing, he was acknowledging the superiority or lordship of Melchizedek.  So, Jacob, in promising to tithe was in effect acknowledging the superiority or Lordship of God in his life. Tithing is an act of submission, it is an acknowledgment of lordship.  It’s not the only act of acknowledgment, but it’s clear that it is one that pleases God.

The problem with Jacob’s tithe, is he made it conditional. (Note the big “if!”) IF God will protect me. IF God will supply all my needs. IF I return to this land in peace.  THEN the Lord shall be my God. THEN this will be a special place of worship! THEN I will tithe.

If God’s love for us is unconditional (and it is according to Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” ) then our love for Him ought to be unconditional as well.

It’s called faith! It’s called taking God at His Word without any catch 22’s on our part. I remember when my wife and I started tithing in accordance with Mal 3:8-12,  "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.  9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.  10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.  11 "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts;  12 "And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts.

We believed (and still do)  what these words say, and started to tithe. We didn’t wait until God opened the window of blessing. We didn’t wait till the devourer was rebuked. We didn’t wait till we had bumper crops. We didn’t wait till all nations called us blessed! We began to faithfully tithe and have never regretted it.

By the grace of God, we were able to remove our “if’s” from the conversation knowing and believing that God is faithful in all His promises.

Giving to the Lord is a journey that we are all on. It is a journey toward a generosity exemplified by the generous love of our God. Tithing is a great place to start.

# 264 Let’s Make A Deal!

The Book of Genesis

Day 264

Ge 28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on,  21 "so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God.  22 "And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."

When I first read this, I was just a little bit miffed at Jacob’s vow. It sounded like another deal or scheme that he was coming up with. “Hey God, if you do this, this, and that, then I will believe, then You will be my God.” I guess I was a little miffed because I see so much of this in our lives even today. . “Hey God! Get me that job, then I will serve You, then I will tithe to You! Hey God! Save my marriage, then I will worship You! Hey God! Jump through this hoop, Hey God! Jump through that hoop! “It’s like we try to turn the God of the universe into our own dog and pony show!

Funny thing, many times out of sheer mercy, God responds to those urgent requests of ours! But then the crisis passes and we shuffle God off to a distant corner of our lives to be called upon again only when we have a need! The other side of that coin is when our requests are not met in the manner that we see fit, we simply surmise there mustn’t be a God!

Friends, that’s just not the way it works! “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you!” Say it again! “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you!”

Understand this: Everyone who calls out to God for help with a sincere heart, gets help! But it is not to be the cry of “Let’s Make A Deal!” We’re not dealing with Monty Hall here, we are dealing with God Almighty! Jesus said in Jn 6:37, “the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” This is the seeking of the kingdom of God.

In Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of the Bible. “The Message” he phrases Rom 10:9 this way: Say the welcoming word to God, “Jesus is my Master.”

That’s what it really means to call on the Name of the Lord! There is no wheeling and dealing there, only a humbling. A humbling that calls out to God, trusting Him to set things right in our lives and we don’t have to guess what’s behind stone number 1,2, or 3 because the stone has been rolled away!

The grave is empty revealing eternal life for all who trust Christ, calling on the Name of the Lord! We are saved by grace, and there is no better deal than that!

# 263 Standing Stones

The Book of Genesis

Day 263

Ge 28:17 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"  18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.  19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.

Jacob’s encounter with God has got him shaking in his boots. After he was able to calm down he knew this was a special place. It had great meaning for him and for his posterity. So, as was the custom of the day, he decides to mark the spot with the very stone that he used for a pillow, setting it up as some sort of a pillar that would catch the eye of all who passed by. He even went so far as to anoint the stone with oil, and he named the place Bethel. (House of God)

Standing stones were erected as a testimony to God events or encounters. Travelers who would see the stones might ask, “What happened here.” And the people who knew the story would have opportunity to tell it! 

This particular stone, by the way, was one of four that Jacob would erect in his lifetime. We don’t know how many inquiries were made about this particular stone, but as Jesus spoke to Nathaniel some 1800 years later, and declared that He indeed was that ladder, He indeed was the only way to heaven, this standing stone took on significance for believers of all time!  This standing stone was a reminder to all who passed by, that out of Jacob’s seed, the ladder would come to this earth. To those who believe the standing stone would be a precious memorial, but to those who disbelieve it would be nothing more than a stone of stumbling, something to trip over in their spiritual darkness.

What will it be for you? 1Pe 2:6-8 says, “ Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."  7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,"  8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.”

All believers have “standing stones.” These are those events that brought you to faith initially, or perhaps brought you back to faith, or maybe they helped make your faith stronger. These are God sightings in your own life.  Always be ready to tell others about them. They are your testimonies. Your life, (touched by God) is a standing stone, be prepared to tell people about it at every opportunity.

# 262 Awesome God

The Book of Genesis

Day 262

Ge 28:17 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!

Awesome is one of those words that has lost it’s true meaning. Our culture has turned it into a way of expressing something that is really “cool.” If Jacob were to speak these words to us today, we would immediately think that this place would be a really neat place to visit, and that’s all right to a certain extent, but the true meaning of the word, makes this place a terrifying place! The King James version of the Bible uses the word “dreadful.” Jacob said, “How dreadful is this place!” Suddenly, this place doesn’t seem quite as attractive does it?

Why was this a “dreadful” place? Because God was there in a special way, and He is holy! We are not. And whenever we are ushered into His presence, the stark contrast between our sinfulness and His sinlessness creates dread and terror! That’s why when Isaiah was in the presence of God, he said in Isa 6:5,  "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."

This is a vital concept for us to grasp, because it shows us our need for Jesus. It is only through the cleansing blood of Jesus that we are able to approach God. Heb 10:19,20 says, “ Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,  20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,”

The late Rich Mullins, recorded a very popular song which was turned into a standard worship chorus in the church. It was called “Awesome God,” and we sang it as if to say that our God is really “cool”. Let me present the lyrics to you in their entirety and see if you think that was his original intent:

When He rolls up His sleeves
He ain't just putting on the ritz
(Our God is an awesome God)

There's thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fists
(Our God is an awesome God)

And the Lord wasn't joking
When He kicked 'em out of Eden
It wasn't for no reason
That He shed His blood
His return is very close
And so you better be believing that
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God

And when the sky was starless
In the void of the night
(Our God is an awesome God)

He spoke into the darkness
And created the light
(Our God is an awesome God)

Judgment and wrath He poured out on the Sodom
Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross
I hope that you have not
Too quickly forgotten that
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God

So tell me was Rich Mullins trying to tell us that God is a really “cool” Guy or was he telling us that the holiness of God is terrifying. The terror of God can only be understood at the cross, and the terror of our soul in the presence of God, can only be removed through Jesus!

# 261 Jesus Is the Only Escalator

The Book of Genesis

Day 261

Ge 28:16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."

What a strange statement from Jacob!  He wakes up from his dream about a heavenly escalator and acts surprised that God was present in this place. What part about omnipresence did he not understand? What part about omnipresence do we not understand? Many times our relationship with God is “out of sight….out of mind.” But God indeed is everywhere and we would do well to measure our actions and exercise our faith with that truth in mind.

Jacob’s reaction here leads me to think that he was more influenced by the pagan culture around him than we like to think. All the pagan’s gods were localized gods. They all had specialties. They all had their own territories. Perhaps this is where Jacob’s amazement comes from. The God of his fathers was not just restricted to Beersheba, He could be found everywhere!

Jacob’s enthusiasm for this place is certainly understandable, and he goes on to mark the spot, but it’s not about the “spot” it’s about the prophetic picture painted for him by God that makes it clear that out of Jacob’s bloodline will come the Messiah who would make it possible for mankind to connect to heaven.

Sometimes I think we fall into the same line of thinking in the various denominations of the Christian faith. We start out with the fundamental truth that Jesus is the only way to heaven, but we kind of morph into an attitude that our particular brand of Christianity is the only one that has it right!  “ God is in our church! We are the Bethel! We are the only way to hop on the escalator!” “We are the sole possessors of truth! Our way of worship is the only way!” And so on.

If that’s your attitude, you are going to be in for a big surprise when you get to heaven! Guess what Lutherans? There will be Baptists in heaven!  Guess what Baptists? There will be Lutherans! Guess what Everyone? There will be  Catholics, Pentecostals, Methodists, Evangelicals, Presbyterians, and any others who believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life!

In our earthly mindset, we will all be surprised by whom we bump into in heaven, and we’ll also  be surprised by who isn’t there. God knows the heart, and it is the heart of faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation that punches your ticket to hop on the escalator!

The point is, salvation is not restricted to a place or a style of worship. Salvation is for all who are trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said in  Joh 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” And in  Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Learn what that means, and by God’s grace, I’ll see you in heaven!

# 260 Jacob's Ladder

The Book of Genesis

Day 260

Ge 28:10 Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.  11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.  12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.  14 "Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.  15 "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."

Quite a pilgrimage for Jacob. Just think of all he has been experiencing lately! His brother has sworn to kill him. His parents are pressuring him to find a bride, and now he is on his way to a strange place with nothing but a rock for his pillow.

It is here that he has the famous dream that we have heard about since our earliest days of Sunday School.  It is called “Jacob’s Ladder.” Angels ascending and descending on this ladder that has been set up bridging the gap between heaven and earth. God uses this dream to express His desire to be connected to Jacob, and of course, you and I as well. Jesus uses this story  to point out that He is the way  for man to connect with God. He is the ladder!

In Joh 1:51, He says to Nathaniel, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." Did you notice how He substitutes the “ladder” with “the Son of Man?”

Just a little on the title of “The Son of Man.” The Son of God was the divine name of Jesus, Son of David was His Jewish name, and the Son of Man was the name He used to link Himself to the earth (mankind) and His mission . His mission was to bridge the gap between sinful man and a holy God. This vision of Jacob’s was a sign of things to come! Things that connected him to the blessing of Abraham, and God used this vision to assure Jacob that he and his seed would indeed  be the vehicle of that blessing.

The presence of the multitude of angels assured Jacob that no night of loneliness, no time of desolation, would be so dark that God’s angels would not be able to find him. No pit of trouble so deep that God could not reach him. All he had to do was look to the Son of Man….Jesus…..the Ladder.

As God the Father soothed and assured Jacob with this vision of the Ladder, so  too are we assured. For Jesus has said that He will never leave us and the very angels of God are always at hand ministering to our needs. Speaking of angels in Heb 1:14 the Holy Spirit assures us, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”

What comfort to know that even as Jesus bridges the gap for us between heaven and earth, His angels are with us along the way.

# 259 Pleasing Men Rather Than God!

The Book of Genesis

Day 259

Ge 28:6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan," 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram.  8 Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac.  9 So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.”

Esau. I think we all know people like Esau. In fact most of us have likely acted impulsively at one time or another in our lives. We do things without thinking them all the way through. Our actions, (good or bad) have consequences.

In this case, Esau sees that Jacob leaving home to find a bride, (that was not a Canaanite) pleased his dad. Esau wants to please his dad and so he takes an immediate, (but not thoroughly thought out step) of marrying someone from Ishmael’s family.  “Hey at least she’s not a Canaanite.!” Isaac and Rebekah had made it plain that they were not thrilled with Esau’s other two wives. But all Esau has done, is sinned again against God as he takes on a third wife. (Polygamy is a sin!) Poor Esau, he keeps trying to do things that he thinks will please his earthly father, but he has no desire to please his heavenly Father!

I think we are guilty of this same mistake as we do things in order to fit in. An example might be those times we use crass language in order to “fit in with the boys.” I’ve got news for us guys (and gals) in this matter, we are sinners enough to “fit in with the boys, (or girls) ” we don’t need to foul up our language to prove it!

Eph 4:29  says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

And in 1Pe 1:16 we read, "Be holy, for I am holy."

Remember, in the matter of pleasing others, we must always seek to please God first!  Paul, writing in Ga 1:10 says, “or do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”

Let’s slow down our impulsive tendencies and seek first to please God in all we say and do.

# 258 Blessing and Responsibility

The Book of Genesis

Day 258

Ge 28:1 Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.  2 "Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother.  3 "May God Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples;  4 And give you the blessing of Abraham, To you and your descendants with you, That you may inherit the land In which you are a stranger, Which God gave to Abraham."  5 So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau. 

To Isaac’s credit here he doesn’t sit around and mope about the way things have turned out concerning the blessing he inadvertently bestowed upon Jacob. Once that irrevocable blessing was bestowed, he went all in with it!

He starts out by charging Jacob to find a bride among his brethren. (This is the equivalent of the charge to Christians to marry fellow believers. 2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?)

Isaac BLESSES and CHARGES Jacob at the same time, and that should help us make the connection between God’s blessing and responsibility. God doesn’t bless us in order for us to live irresponsibly.  The Parable of the Prodigal Son comes to mind here, as does the Parable of the Talents.  God gives us grace, that we may invest it in others. (His preferred way of investing in His kingdom) We are not to fritter it away on ourselves as the Prodigal son did!

To “fritter” away God’s grace is to receive it but then not be gracious to others, or to continue living as you please, or to be content to live as a spiritual babe, living on the milk of the Word, rather than moving on to the meat. Heb 5:13 says, “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.  14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Grace is given by God to be spent by us for Him, His kingdom, and His glory! 1Pe 4:10  says, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

God’s grace is truly amazing, but don’t sit around gawking at it! Employ it in your own life as God gives you opportunity!

# 257 What A Mess!

The Book of Genesis

Day 257

Ge 27:41 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob." 42 And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, "Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you. 43 "Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran. 44 "And stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away, 45 "until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?" 46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?"

Esau is so furious with Jacob that his heart is filled with hatred and he starts planning to kill his brother. He knows that would break his father’s heart, so he plans to wait until Isaac passes away and a proper time of mourning has been observed.  So how do the words of Esau’s heart, find their way to Rebekah’s ears? 

I can picture the scene: Esau, out with the boys, quaffing a few adult beverages, or maybe grousing about the house with his heathen wives, and saying things like: “Just wait till dad dies, I will kill that no good lying brother of mine, then we’ll see who’s inheritance it is!”

Well, that’s speculation on my part, but the word does get out and Rebekah (who is very good at eavesdropping) gets wind of it and takes immediate action.

Esau had the bitterness of Cain and for pretty much the same reason. Cain’s offering was refused by God because of his attitude toward God, and Esau’s attitude toward God was similar. Both were older brothers of young men who were recipients of the Lord’s favor and it infuriated them.

But unlike Abel, Jacob removes himself from the scene and flees to uncle Laban’s house in Haran. Rebekah encourages him to go there until Esau cools off and he forgets what Jacob did to him.

Have you noticed something here? Rebekah has removed “we” from the equation of wrongdoing and puts all the blame on Jacob! Whatever happened to “Let your curse be upon me, my son.” That we heard her say back in verse 13?  Obviously, it’s gone, and again a reminder for those of you who face peer pressure to do ungodly things. When you get caught and push comes to shove, you can count on one thing. Those who put you up to the wrongdoing  with their empty promises will be long gone, and they will be pleased to allow the finger of blame to be pointed squarely at you.

So Rebekah urges Jacob to leave, because if he stays she will have nothing left. Isaac will be passing away soon, Jacob would be dead, and Esau would have to flee as a murderer! Even in sending Jacob away she resorts to scheming as she approaches Isaac and urges him to send Jacob away under the guise of finding a suitable wife.

She and Isaac didn’t agree on much but they both agreed that Esau’s unbelieving wives were a grief to them. Playing on that grief, she had no problem convincing Isaac to send Jacob away.

This whole situation has turned into a royal family mess! All because Rebekah did not wait on the Lord and took things into her own sinful hands. But, as usual, God, in His mercy,  will take this mess and turn it into a message. Jacob’s trip to Haran will ultimately result in the birth of the nation Israel!  Stay tuned!

# 256 Don’t Zero In On Their Faults!

The Book of Genesis

Day 256

Ge 27:36 And Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" And he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?" 37 Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?" 38 And Esau said to his father, "Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me-me also, O my father!" And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: "Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, And of the dew of heaven from above. 40 By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck."

Prophecy is amazing! All these things pronounced upon Esau by Isaac came to pass. Just as Isaac’s blessing let Jacob know what was in store for him, so does his blessing of Esau!

The descendants of Esau  are known as Edomites in the Bible and they indeed did inhabit a rich fertile country to the south of Judah. They were a people who lived by the sword. It was Edom that refused to let Jacob’s descendants pass through their land on their way to the Promised Land. They flat out told them in Nu 20:18, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword."

 Later, King Saul would make war against them, and later still, David would actually conquer them, and they would (as the blessing stated) “serve their brother Israel.”

In the end, Edom threw in with Babylon and helped overthrow Judah, and God pronounced a special judgment against them in the days of Ezekiel.  He said in Eze 35:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,  2 "Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir (a mountain located in Edom) and prophesy against it,  3 "and say to it, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against you; I will stretch out My hand against you, And make you most desolate;  4 I shall lay your cities waste, And you shall be desolate. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.  5 "Because you have had an ancient hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end,”

This hatred started here with Esau and was never totally resolved. Esau never did see and come to grips with the fact that God intended the blessing of the firstborn for Jacob all along.The reason he couldn’t see it was because all he could concentrate on was the trickery of Jacob. He and his descendants were never able to let go of that root of bitterness, and in the end it cost them dearly….they became a desolation.

Unforgiveness going on in your life? Stop focusing on the faults of those you choose to not forgive. Rather look for the positive, and let those positive things open the door to dialogue, and let that dialogue lead to forgiveness and restoration through Jesus Christ

# 255 Grace, Forgiveness, Repentance

The Book of Genesis

Day 255

Ge 27:36 And Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" And he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?" 37 Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?" 38 And Esau said to his father, "Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me-me also, O my father!" And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: "Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, And of the dew of heaven from above. 40 By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck."

 It’s easy to read this account in Scripture and forget the original prophecy concerning these two boys. God said from the get-go that Jacob would be the one who would rule over his brother.  God sees, God knows, and God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy.  God used His selection prerogative in the case of Esau and Jacob to teach us about His elective grace which we read about in  Ro 9:11,12  (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),  12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger."

God’s omniscience (all knowing) is not to be overlooked here either, and quite frankly it is too much for our finite minds to comprehend. He knew Esau would be a profane (godless) and unrepentant man, just as sure as he knew Judas would be the unrepentant traitor of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Well,” one might say, “if that’s the case why bother, God already knows my end.” Yes He does…..but you don’t, and that’s the key. As long as you have breath in your body, you like the thief on the cross, have the opportunity to join Jesus in Paradise.  You CAN know your end! It is not God’s will that any should perish, and that includes you! Your answer to where you will spend eternity is found in the Word of God! 1Jo 5:13 says, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

 Let us learn from Esau, lest we disqualify ourselves through a heart that has been hardened by unforgiveness. Speaking of Esau in Heb 12:14-17 we read, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.”

Note the reference to the “root of bitterness,” and understand how important it is for us to learn to forgive others.  Esau held on to his root of bitterness with Jacob and “he found no place for repentance.”

Jesus said in Mt 6:15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

There are two kinds of repentance. True repentance in which the Holy Spirit produces godly sorrow over our sins, and false repentance in which the sorrow is only produced because we have done harm to ourselves. This was Esau’s major problem, he was not very much concerned about godly sorrow as he was about his own personal sorrow.

True repentance is a gift from God.  Don’t mess with it! No matter your sin, join with David after he was confronted by Nathan with his sin and agree with God saying, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And ask the Holy Spirit for help with any and all issues of unforgiveness in your heart.

# 254 The Irrevocable Promises of God

The Book of Genesis

Day 254

Ge 27:30 Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.  31 He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, "Let my father arise and eat of his son's game, that your soul may bless me."  32 And his father Isaac said to him, "Who are you?" So he said, "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."  33 Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, "Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him-and indeed he shall be blessed."  34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, "Bless me-me also, O my father!"  35 But he said, "Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing."

This is such a sad and tragic scene isn’t it? One can picture Esau on the hunt, capturing his game, painstakingly preparing it just the way his father (hunting buddy) liked it. What a joyful task as he not only anticipates pleasing his father, but also as he anticipates receiving the blessing due the firstborn. He brings the game in and asks his father to eat of it and bless him, but something is terribly wrong!

Isaac, realizes he has been had by Jacob and he begins to tremble exceedingly. Why? What’s the big deal? Can’t you just say oops! Cancel the first blessing and make up a new one for Esau? Easier said than done in the culture of the day because deathbed bequests had legal force in ancient Eastern Law, and even more importantly, Isaac realized that as the heir and steward of God’s covenant blessing to Abraham he had solemnly transmitted that heritage to Jacob.

In this instance, what he had spoken, he had spoken on behalf of God. It was, like all of God’s promises, irrevocable. Nu 23:19 says,  "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”Further in Ro 11:29 we read, “ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

With passages such as these, we begin to get a feel for the power and the immutability of God’s Word. This same power and truth is at the disposal of those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ today. It’s in His Word awaiting to be discovered by you and I, and all others who open their hearts to the Savior. Open Your Bible and open your heart to receive the irrevocable promises of God!

# 253 Taking Matters Into Our Own Hands

The Book of Genesis

Day 253

Ge 27:27 And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: "Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the LORD has blessed.

 28 Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!"

The blessing is finally delivered! God speaks it directly through the lips of Isaac to the next God-selected heir….Jacob. The self-willed Isaac, thinks he is passing the blessing on to his favorite son Esau, but God wasn’t going to let that happen no matter what!

Thy will be done!

Let’s talk a little today about the will of God “being done.” In Luther’s explanation of the third petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy will be done,” he says, “The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer, but we pray in this petition, that it may be done among us also.” In other words when we pray this portion of the Lord’s prayer, we are asking that by the grace of God we would be active participants in carrying out His will, through obedience to His Word.  We are asking for the grace to be players in God’s kingdom work. (His plans and purposes.)

Too many times, we find ourselves asking to discover God’s will and when we find it, we seek to hurriedly carry it out through any means just as Rebekah and Jacob did, and we leave a trail of personal wreckage behind us. 

Quick lesson: As we seek to do God’s will, we must also seek to operate within the guidelines found in His Word. BE PATIENT!

Luther goes on to say: God’s good and gracious will is done among us when God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow God’s name, nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh.”

It is only by the power of God (grace) that we can overcome our tendency toward getting ahead of the God’s game plan for us and taking matters into our own hands. That power is available to all believers who humbly submit to Him. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

# 252 The Blessing

The Book of Genesis

Day 252

Ge 27:27 And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: "Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the LORD has blessed.

 28 Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.

 29 Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!"

Isaac’s sight is failing, and he smells the clothing of Esau being worn by Jacob. Thinking it is Esau, he blesses him. Wait a minute! Time out! You mean you are going to bless your son solely on the fact that he smells like the great outdoors!  Because he likes the outdoors as much as you do, he gets favor over the other son?

Fathers…..don’t go there! Bless your children in accordance with their gifts, whatever they may be, because they came from God, not because they have the same interests as you do!  Find those qualities in your children that make them special and affirm them whenever you can!

Isaac, uses the smell of the outdoors draped all over his son as a springboard for his blessing. (Note the word “therefore.” ) Since his son smells like a field, Jacob begins the blessing by asking God to bless the field wherever his son may toil in the future.

Then he also asks the Lord to bless him in such a way that other nations will bow to him, and that he would be the master over his brethren. This blessing is of course not only meant for his son, but for his son’s posterity as well.

He wraps up the blessing with a curse on those who would curse his son, and and a blessing to all who would bless him.

That’s quite a package, wouldn’t you say? Lots of bennies there if they all come to pass! What or who gives Isaac the power to pronounce such a blessing?  Only God has such power, and in that power, He gave that blessing to Abraham, who handed it down to his child of promise, Isaac, (rather than Ishmael) Now Isaac has the same power to hand it down to his son, and his son (chosen by God) will have the power to do the same , and so it will be, and so it was,  all the way down to the ultimate child of promise…..Jesus Christ!

And as Isaac says to his son, “Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!" So it is with the Son of God! Those who would go to their graves cursing Jesus, (The word means to utterly abhor) will be utterly abhorred by God! (Sent to eternal hell) This is the sin of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and it boils down to the sin of disbelief. If you’re worried about having committed it, the very fact that it worries you means you haven’t committed it!

On the other hand those who would go to their graves blessing Jesus, (the word means “bending the knee) in other word those who worship and serve Him as Lord will be forever blessed in heaven.

The blessing of Isaac stands today! Do you want in on it? Then bow your knee to the Lord Jesus Christ. Live your life as if He truly were your Lord!

# 251 Lies Beget More Lies

The Book of Genesis

Day 251

Ge 27:15 Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.  16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.  17 Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.  18 So he went to his father and said, "My father.' And he said, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?"  19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me."  20 But Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?" And he said, "Because the LORD your God brought it to me."  21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."  22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."  23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him.  24 Then he said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."  25 He said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's game, so that my soul may bless you." So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.  26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near now and kiss me, my son."  27 And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: "Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the LORD has blessed.  28 Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.  29 Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!"

The moment of truth has arrived, (or maybe we should say the moments of lies! Jacob, armed with the deceitful stew of his mother’s making, wearing his brother’s clothes, and even putting on the skins of goats to camouflage his tender skin, enters his father’s chamber.  He walks in, literally bearing three lies and quickly adds three more with his lips as he wrests the blessing out of his father and away from Esau.

Isaac asks, “Who are you my son?”

“I am Esau.” (Lie #1)

“How did you get the game so quickly?”

“The Lord Your God brought it to me.” (Lie # 2)

“Are you really my son Esau?”

“I Am.” (Lie # 3)

Lies beget more lies.

Let’s refresh our memory a bit and look at God’s view of telling lies.

 Pr 6:16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:  17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,  18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,  19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

  Pr 12:19 The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment.

  Pr 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.

  Pr 21:6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

 As you can see, lying does not please our Lord. And let’s not kid ourselves about the end of habitual, unrepentant liars. Re 22:15 says, “But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

 As believers, we are especially encouraged to speak the truth.  Eph 4:25 says, “Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.”

Now, lest we despair with our tendency to stretch the truth, let us remember Peter. He lied three times in his denial of Jesus. He grieved God to be sure, (remember the look that Jesus gave him?) BUT, he also was restored as he recognized his sin, wept over it, and later, having received the Lord’s forgiveness, went on to be a beacon of truth!