Bible Chapter: Genesis 28
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Isaac sent Jacob away to take a wife from their home territory. We see something of the sinful heart of those who refuse to submit to God in the response of Esau. He specifically did something major to spite Isaac. He purposely went out and took a wife that he knew would hurt his father. He married a heathen woman because he knew his father and mother didn’t want him to do it. Often when people do something like that, with the intention of hurting someone, they end up hurting themselves more than the other person. It appears that jealousy was a major motivational factor for several things that Esau did. That always brings negative results.
Jacob went away according to Isaac’s instructions. On his journey he had a dream. God confirmed the promise given to Abraham. His descendants would be as the dust of the earth. God promised to be with him. Jacob vowed to follow and serve God. Even though we see the flaws in Jacob, we see that God still used him. That is encouraging news to hear. God will use flawed people.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
I must not let jealousy take over any situation in life. It is so easy to see the good things happening in someone else. It is easy to be frustrated at what is happening to “them” and secretly begin to wish that something bad will happen to “them” to attempt to even the score. Somehow this perverted thinking says that if “they” are pulled down, it will make my life better. I want what they have. I want the success, the money, the recognition they have. However, I must be sure to never let that happen. When the temptation tries to sneak in, I must reject it and rejoice when good things happen to other people. Esau could have had a better life if he would have applied that.
Jacob received the blessings of God in his life as he followed his commitment to serve the Lord. Life is a long journey, a marathon and not a sprint. Sticking with what we know is right is so necessary. I must continue to follow the Lord. I won’t be sorry.
3. How can I help someone?
I want to help people see the best ways to get along. The selfishness of the flesh really gets in the way and brings destruction. I want to help people see that doing things God’s way will bring the greatest benefits.
Bible Chapter: Genesis 27
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
How does a person get the things they should have? How does one receive God’s blessing? How are we supplied for life? One of the things I have understood is that we must do things according to the Bible. We must live according to the truths and principles of the Bible. All throughout God’s book we find the importance of honesty. Sometimes it appears that the only way we can get what we desire or need is to lie or cheat. This seems like the great shortcut that will take us to our desired result. Unfortunately, whenever we get something by dishonest means, the negative consequences will result. Another Biblical principle comes into focus: we harvest what we plant. If we plant deception in our life, we will reap the negative results.
God had promised that the blessings of the covenant would go through Jacob. But, his mother must not have believed this. She lied and brought Jacob into a deceptive scheme that got what she wanted, Isaac’s blessing, but at a horrible price. Jacob had to flee for his life, Rebekah never saw him again and Jacob lived in exile for many years. They paid a high price for what God would have given in His timing. It would have worked out if they would have trusted God.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Bible principles work. Our limited human insights don’t always believe that. But, it really is true. God’s power comes through in His unique ways and provides what He has promised. The question that must be asked is: can I trust God? We know the answer we must say (at least publicly) is that we CAN trust God. Unfortunately, saying it and doing it can be two different things. The application must be that I really do trust God and, when life gets hard, I do what I know will please God and leave the results up to Him.
3. How can I help someone?
I want to help people trust God and apply what the Bible says. I even see people who claim Jesus as Savior cheat and push the envelope of righteousness. This is often because of the lie of the enemy who convinces people that the won’t make it if they don’t cheat, or lie, or ????? God will do what He promises. Trust Him.
Bible Chapter: Genesis 26
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
God wants to direct people. He has a good plan, even when we don’t grasp it. Yes, God knows what He is doing. He honors obedience. Verse 6 is very short and simply says that Isaac stayed in Gerar. Why is that significant? Because in verse 3 God spoke to him and told him to stay in the land where he was and God would be with him. When we know what to do, God honors when we obey. Isaac was reminded that Abraham obeyed God (verse 5). When Isaac obeyed God he was greatly blessed. In the Old Testament times God’s blessing was often connected with material wealth. This family line we are reading about was very wealthy. God still does that sometimes, providing great wealth. But, that should not be the main consideration of God’s blessing or His withholding of blessings. We see that God kept His promises and provided for all Isaac needed.
The chapter ends with a sad statement that Esau married two Hittite women. This brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau had walked away from the righteous life he was taught. He didn’t care about the covenant, the promises God gave to his family. Entering into these kinds of relationships with ungodly people is always a dangerous sign of rejecting God. Rejecting God ALWAYS eventually leads to problems.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
The stories of the Bible continue to show the importance of obedience to God. They show the fact that God knows what He is doing and has the power to accomplish His purpose. God’s wisdom, power and omnipresence (He is everywhere) enable Him to reveal His plan and enforce it. The Bible contains many stories like Esau’s, where he purposely did something he knew would displease God and his Godly parents. We also see the negative consequences that result. Good life lessons.
3. How can I help someone?
There will always be conflicts. We see several conflicts in this chapter. What do we do with them? We see that Isaac worked hard at being a peace maker and finding ways to resolve them. Jesus said “blessed are the peace makers”. When we work at it and are willing to make some effort and even sacrifice, often we can find ways to resolve problems and bring peace.
Bible Chapter: Genesis 25
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
This chapter covers lots of territory. After Sarah had died, Abraham married Keturah. With her he had six sons. But, Isaac was the child of God’s covenant and, after providing for his other sons to get established in life, Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. This continued the promise of the covenant that would establish God’s people, the nation of Israel, and provide the line for the coming Savior. Abraham lived for 175 years and he died. He was buried with Sarah.
Isaac and Rebekah had to wait twenty years before they were able to have children. God healed her barrenness and twins were born to them. Esau was born first, then Jacob. Esau grew up to be an outdoors-man, and Jacob was more of a homebody. Isaac connected with Esau and Rebekah connected with Jacob. This would eventually lead to problems. A good lesson that parents should not have favorites.
A key event happens at the end of this chapter. One day Esau was out hunting and was very hungry. Jacob had prepared some food. When Esau asked for some, Jacob said he wouldn’t give hm any if he didn’t sell his birthright. Esau, despising something very special, gave it away for a meal. This would later bring major problems. The brothers would become enemies.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
What is valuable? What is worth keeping? What are priorities? Esau didn’t have his priorities straight. He was more concerned with the here and now than the future. His birthright represented God’s promises and covenant and he threw it away. Living in the very materialistic world we have, it is easy to get caught up with the thrill of the chase, gathering more things. It is easy to pursue material pleasure rather than focusing on the eternal. Genesis 25 covers genealogies. God is concerned with the big picture. We all must see that we don’t live just for ourselves, but impact the lives of many others. All who have children have future generations that will either be blessed or hindered by what we do. This is challenging to think of. It must impact our choices.
3. How can I help someone?
What impact do our decisions make? What affect are we having on others? I want to help people see these questions and think of the answers. In the life of Abraham we see many decisions. Some were good and others were poor. Each decision we read about impacted many people. In fact, some of Abraham’s decisions are still impacting the world today.
Bible Chapter: Genesis 24
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
We know that God has a plan. The challenge is to believe it when we are living life. Here we see God’s working out His plan, not only for Abraham but for the whole world. After Abraham spent his life going where God sent him and doing what he was told, the time came when he knew he would die. A critical part of God’s plan was that Isaac would have a wife from their home territory. God was establishing a holy people and Isaac could not marry from the local women. Abraham sent his servant to his homeland and God brought him to Rebekah. He knew his prayers had been answered.
God had blessed Abraham with great wealth. We see an insight into the heart of Rebekah’s brother, Laban, when he got excited about Abraham’s servant coming to visit. He wasn’t excited to hear about a relative, he was a greedy person. Verse 30: “So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, ‘Thus the man spoke to me,’ that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well.” (NKJV) He quickly began to manipulate to figure out how he could get in on the wealth. His selfish attitudes continued throughout his life.
God’s plan was revealed and Rebekah went with the servant and married Isaac. This is another major step in God’s plan for the whole world, to send Jesus as the Savior of the human race.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
God’s plans don’t move at the speed I would like. Abraham and Sarah waited twenty five years after God’s promise to have their son. This seems like a cumbersome plan, to bring in a wife from a long distance. It is easy to see from my perspective how things worked out for Abraham and Isaac and their descendants. It was not easy for them to see it as they lived it. That is true for me today. I can’t see the future and what will happen. I have to continue to learn to trust God and His plan.
3. How can I help someone?
Helping people in the light of the theme of this chapter makes me think of a well known passage of the Bible: Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Bible Chapter: Genesis 23
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
After all the long journeys and adventures that Abraham and Sarah had, the day came when their travels on this earth together came to an end. At the age of one hundred twenty seven, Sarah passed away. Abraham wept and grieved for her. Then he had to find a place to bury her. It is interesting in that, while God had promised a great land to Abraham and his descendants, he never owned any of the land he lived on. I would be many generations before they would take possession of the land. Abraham asked to buy some land for a burial ground.
The people told Abraham that he could have any land he wanted, they would give it to him. But, Abraham was insistent that he would pay for it. I find it interesting that these days some millionaires, the more money they have, the more they expect people to give them things. In the story of his life, Abraham never was greedy or trying only to gain more possessions. He was always willing to do what was right materially. When the value of the land he wanted was identified as four hundred shekels of silver, he paid it.
The death of Sarah shows us that no one is exempt from trials and loss in this life. No matter how faithful Abraham was to God, no matter how rich he became, no matter how important he was in God’s eternal plan to provide the Savior for the world, he would face loss and sorrow. We should not panic or become angry when trials come, for we all will face them. They are not easy. They are painful. But, God is faithful to carry us through.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
In Abraham’s life he was careful to rely on God for his provision. Earlier in life he told a king that he would take nothing from him lest the king say he had made Abraham rich. He wouldn’t let himself become beholding to people for his material possessions. Abraham learned to trust God. Yes, he had some failures, but that simply shows he was alive. He learned to trust God. That is a lesson we all must continue to learn. I do trust God and have seen Him come through in many ways. Sometime we need to continue to remember everything depends on Him. Even in times of loss, or I should say especially in times of loss, I can trust God to be what I need. I remember when my family and I stood around the bed and watched my mother enter eternity, it was an amazingly powerful time of God’s presence, knowing that she was entering an awesome journey into the presence of Her Lord. What a difference that made.
3. How can I help someone?
I want to help people see that Jesus really is sufficient for the needs and challenges of life. They hurt and are difficult to experience. But, Jesus is present to give us what we need. I am reminded of II Timothy 1:12 NKJV that says
. . . for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
I know HIM, Jesus, and therefore I can commit my life and eternity to Him and He will take me through. That’s all I need.
Bible Chapter: Genesis 22
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Testing. Very few people can honestly say they really enjoy testing. Students generally hate it when a test comes along. A tests stretches a person and challenges them to rise to a higher level. And yet, here this chapter starts out saying that God tested Abraham. It is a test where we can see and grasp the symbolism, but we don’t fully understand it. Abraham went through it and passed. His faith in God was such that he proved he would do whatever God asked and expect God to come through. We see Abraham’s faith in God through his statements: My son and I will return - and - God will provide the ram. God saw that Abraham loved God and trusted Him more than he loved anything on this earth. That’s is a powerful statement and Abraham passed the test.
We also see a trust that Isaac had in his father. He could have resisted and probably escaped, but he submitted to his father. I wonder what was going through his mind as things progressed.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
It is really easy to say I trust God. This is especially true when things are going along just fine. And then, come the times when the testing arrives, when things are not working out and life is really hard. That is when we find out how much we trust God. I have done many years of ministry in a prison. It is common, in talking with inmates who are about to go home, to hear them say all the things they are going to do. They talk about the changes they are going to make. They are going to change their lifestyle and serve God. It is easy to say that and expect all to go well when they are in the safety and control of the lockup. Then, they get out and face the challenges, temptations and influence of the world with no one looking over their shoulder to guide them. During that testing time, many of them realize the test is harder than they thought. They don’t all pass the test. I must apply the truths of the Bible so that when the test comes I will pass.
3. How can I help someone?
We don’t like tests. I want to help people face the tests of life and pass them with God’s help. Many have gone through a variety of tests and not done well. An interesting observation about life: when we don’t do well on a test, we will have to take it again somewhere down the line. I want to help people pass the tests.
