Genesis 13:9-12

"Is not the whole land before you?  Please separate from me.  If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go the right, then I will go to the left.  And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.  Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east.  And they separated from each other.  Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom."

Reading Genesis 13 this morning, I was reminded how we can only receive blessings from our decisions and directions when we acknowledge and trust in the LORD.  We see Lot's (Gen. 13:11) example how he looked for what seemed good to the natural eye.  Allow God to choose for you today and you will not be disappointed in the end.

"And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: 'Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever." Gen. 13:14-15

In His Love,

Alan

Genesis 14:18

"Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High"

It was so beautiful to read how this Priest and King met Abram with "bread and wine".  We know from scripture that bread and wine was used to strengthen and refresh.  For example Psalms 104:14-15 says "He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengthens man's heart." 

Abram had just risked his life, and the life of the 318 trained servants, to rescue Lot (along with his goods, as well as the women and the people) from captivity.  This reminds me of how our HEAVENLY FATHER takes care of us when we are doing HIS work.  He has "bread and wine" waiting for us.  His provision, His power, His presence.  May we continue to serve with the understanding that HE will supply all our needs.

In His Love,

Alan

Genesis 15:6 (KJV) 

    And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Came a across a beautiful verse this weekend.  Genesis 15:6.  When God made a promise, Abram believed in the Lord. When God commanded Abram, he obeyed.  Nothing so marks the lives of Abram and Sarai as their belief in God (see also Heb. 11:8).

'aman, aw-man'; a primitive root; properly to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figurative to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; moral to be true or certain; once (Isa. 30:21; by interchange for Hebrew 541 ('aman)) to go to the right hand :- hence assurance, believe, bring up, establish, + fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right.

Although Abram had been demonstrating his faith through his actions, it was his belief in the Lord, not his actions, which made Abram right with God. This statement is quoted twice by Paul (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6) and once by James (2:23).  It is the basis for the New Testament teaching that God's way has always been responsive trust in His word, which then produces right living.  We too can have a right relationship with God by trusting him. Our outward actions, church attendance, prayer, good deeds will not by themselves make us right with God. A right relationship is based on faith; the heartfelt inner confidence that God is who He says he is and does what He says He will do. Right actions will follow naturally as by-products.

May you continue to be blessed as you believe,

Alan

Genesis 17:1

"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless."

Almighty God is translated from the Hebrew El Shaddai whose root emphasizes God's might over against the frailty of man.  In Genesis it is used particularly in situations where people are hard-pressed and need assurance (see 28:3; 35:11; 49:25).  On the outward and can appear that things are not going to change, "It's too late!"  However, in God it is never too late unless HE says it is too late.

Thirteen years have passed before God affirmed the covenant with Abram.  The Lord tells Abram, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless."  99 years old is nothing for God!!!

God has the same message for us today. It's not too late.  What He promises will come true.  We are to obey the Lord in every respect because he is God?that is reason enough. If you don't think the benefits of obedience are worth it, consider who God is,the only one with the power and ability to meet your every need.

Keep looking to God Almighty,

Alan

Genesis 18:9-15

Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he said, "Here, in the tent." ¹⁰ And He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. ¹² Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" ¹³ And the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old? ¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." ¹⁵ But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid.  And He said, "No, but you did laugh!"

In Genesis Chapter 18 verse 1 states that it was the Lord who appeared to Abraham; v. 2 speaks of three men; v. 13 suggests that one of these men was the Lord. Who were the other two? Probably attending angels; each of the three visitors looked like men, but one was even greater than angels (see 19:1). The writer of Hebrews used this account to encourage hospitality to strangers, "for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" (Heb. 13:2).  Whoever they were it is clear that they knew the very thoughts of Sarah. 

Let this be a fresh reminder to you today that God knows your thoughts even when you don't speak them.  Ask the Father for mercy just as Sarah received mercy when she lied to these three men because of fear.  And remember the powerful question that is asked "Is anything to hard for the Lord?" 

The Hebrew word for "hard" is pala', paw-law'; a primitive root; properly perhaps to separate, i.e. distinguish (literal or figurative); by implication to be (causative make) great, difficult, wonderful :- accomplish, (arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do, do a, shew) marvelous (-ly, -els, things, work), miracles, perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make) wonderful (-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things, works, -ly).

I pray that we will be able to say without hesitation, "NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR YOU LORD!!!!"

In His Service,

Alan

Genesis 19:15-17

¹⁵ When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city." ¹⁶ And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. ¹⁷ So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."

If you have been reading through Genesis with me, you will remember a few things about Lot:

• He was given a choice, by Abram, what direction he would go.
• He was very wealthy.
• He was prospering in a difficult place.
• His family was growing.
• He had to deal with making the wrong decision.
• Pride causes you to want to cover your tracks and try to force it to work.

It is no wonder that Lot and his family needed to be propelled from their home by physical force. The verb for took hold chazaq, khaw-zak 'means "to seize, be strong" the Lord being merciful: This is the whole point of the story. God could have destroyed the city of Sodom with no word to Lot or Abraham (18:17). But because of God's mercy, His angels grabbed Lot and his family and brought them forcefully to safety.

God only knows how much danger you and I have been pulled away from.  Praise HIM for HIS wonderful mercy today.  And continue to learn from Lot's wife.

In HIS Love,

Alan

Genesis 20:3-7

"And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, "Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife." 4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 5 Did he not say to me, She is my sister? And she, even she herself said, He is my brother. In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this." 6 And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.""

chasak, khaw-sak'; a primitive root; to restrain or (reflexsive) refrain; by implication to refuse, spare, preserve; also (by interch. with Hebrew 2821 (chashak)) to observe :- assuage, ª darken, forbear, hinder, hold back, keep (back), punish, refrain, reserve, spare, withhold.

This is a powerful Hebrew word "chasak".  Abimelech had unknowingly taken a married woman to be his wife and was about to commit adultery. But God prevented him from touching Sarah and held him back from sinning.  Presumably, Abimelech was a pagan king. Yet God warned him of the wrong that he was about to commit.  What mercy on God's part! How many times has God done the same for us, holding us back from sin in ways we can't even detect? We have no way of knowing, we just know from this example that He can. God works just as often in ways we can't see, as in ways we can. 

One last comment:  Abraham's lie about his wife Sarah is a reminder to us of how frail we are.  Again, our spirit is willing sometimes but our flesh is so weak.  We want to trust God to fulfill His promises and yet sometimes we want to help Him make it happen.  Keep crying out! 

I pray that you would live righteously, justly and walk humbly before your God. 

Alan

Genesis 21:1-3

"And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. ² For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. ³ And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him-whom Sarah bore to him- Isaac."

Who could believe that Abraham would have a son at 100 years of age and live to raise him?  But doing the impossible is God's everyday business. Our difficult situations won't seem so impossible if we let God handle them.

There are two Hebrew words that I would like to look at this morning:

îåòã

mow`ed, mo-ade'; or mo`ed, mo-ade'; or (feminine) mow`adah, mo-aw-daw'; (2 Chron. 8:13), from Hebrew 3259 (ya`ad); properly an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand) :- appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn (-ity), synagogue, (set) time (appointed).

ãÌáø

dabar, daw-bar'; a primitive root; perhaps properly to arrange; but used figuratively (of words) to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue :- answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use [entreaties], utter, ª well, ª work.

Both of these Hebrew words remind us that God has a plan, a strategy, and an arrangement.  All of this will reveal HIS Glory to those who believe.  I pray that you would be encouraged today knowing that God has a mow`ed (appointed time) and a dabar (arranging answer) for you today.

As you reflect on Jesus' sacrifice today, be reminded that what he has appointed and spoken has been revealed to demonstrate HIS great LOVE.

Blessings,  Alan

Genesis 22:3-5

"So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.""

The story in Genesis 22 reveals the remarkable faith on the part of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac and points to the future sacrifice of God's only Son, Jesus.  Abraham had told his servant who had accompanied him and his son to the sacrificial site to stay with the donkey; he and his son were on their way to worship the Lord, we will come back: In the Hebrew text, these words are even more arresting than in a translation. The three verbs all show a strong determination on the part of the speaker: "We are determined to go, we are determined to worship, and we are determined to return."  Abraham believed that he and the boy would return. He had heard, many times, God's promise to create a nation through Isaac (12:1; 13:14; 15:1; 17:1; 18:1). He still believed it. He had concluded that even if he had to destroy his son, God would bring him back from death (see Heb. 11:17). Only in this way could Abraham have gone ahead with the task before him. 

The question comes up many times, "why did God ask Abraham to perform human sacrifice?"  Pagan nations practiced human sacrifice, but God condemned this as a terrible sin (Leviticus 20:1-5). My understanding would be that God did not want Isaac to die, but he wanted Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in his heart so it would be clear that Abraham loved God more than he loved his promised and long-awaited son. God was testing Abraham. The purpose of testing is to strengthen our character and deepen our commitment to God and his perfect timing. Through this difficult experience, Abraham strengthened his commitment to obey God. He also learned about God's ability to provide.  This story is a fresh reminder to us that obeying God is often a struggle because it may mean giving up something we truly want.  However, we too can learn that when God allows tests in our life He is up to something beautiful in the end.  Obedience reveals great provision.

One last comment:  I also find it interesting to note that this event occurred on the "third day".  Aren't you glad for the "third day".

 "Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."  Luke 24:7

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3

Rejoice in the Power of HIS resurrection!

Alan

Genesis 24:6-9, 39-40

"But Abraham said to him, "Beware that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, To your descendants I give this land, He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there." 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter..And I said to my master, Perhaps the woman will not follow me. 40 But he said to me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house."

His angel: This phrase is grammatically equivalent to the expression "the Angel of the Lord." It is a way of referring to God's presence.  The Hebrew word isמלאך mal'âk  mal-awk'  This is from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically of God, that is, an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher): - ambassador, angel, king, messenger.

We are reminded from scripture that God's angels are ministering spirits, sent forth, not only for the protection, but guidance of the heirs of promise, Hebrews 1:14 says"Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?"

Abraham's faithful servant experienced God's presence.  May this be an example to us to maintain a servant's heart.  It is the servants of the Most High God that will know a heavenly prosperity.

One last observation is in Genesis 24:52.  Before doing anything else, Abraham's servant worshiped the Lord by prostrating himself before God and by giving public acknowledgment of His provision.  This is the second time we see the servant responding this way.  Genesis 24:26 is the other example.  This is the response of those who are exposed to God's presence in their lives.  May we have such responds in our hearts today.

Blessings, Alan

Genesis 28:13-15

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."

There are a couple of things I am reminded of from reading Genesis 28.  #1 No one can say that the Old Testament is a book of the Law and the New Testament is a book of Grace.  That is just bad theology and wrong thinking.  The previous chapters have already reminded us of how Jacob deceived his own brother Esau and his father Isaac.  The fact that God turns around and say's to Jacob, "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", is pure mercy and grace.  The Hebrew word for "Keep" is שׁמר shâmar shaw-mar' It is a primitive root; and it means to properly hedge about (as with thorns), that is, guard; generally to protect, attend to, etc.: - beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man).  This is no small promise from God.  This is mercy and grace at work in the Old Testament.

The second thing I am reminded of is that God was preparing Jacob for what he would be facing.  Time and time again throughout scripture you will see a visitation from God to man.  However, it usually comes to build our faith for what lies ahead. Though the enemy of our soul comes to kill, steal and destroy, we need to be reminded of the HOPE we have that Jesus has come to give us life and that life more abundantly.

One last comment: God's covenant promise to Abraham and Isaac was offered to Jacob as well because it was not enough to be Abraham's grandson.  We can see that Jacob had to establish his own personal relationship with God (God has no grandchildren).  Let this be a fresh reminder that each of us must have a personal relationship with him. It is not enough to hear wonderful stories about Christians in your family. You need to become part of the story yourself.  May God reveal His mercy and grace in your life today so that you have reason for HOPE, and may you then share that HOPE with others.

Blessings, Alan

Genesis 29:18-25

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.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her." 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?"

אהב    אהב Unlike Greek, Hebrew only has one root word for love. 'âhab  'âhêb aw-hab', aw-habe' And it means to have affection for (sexually or otherwise): - (be-) love (-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.  The meaning is really fulfilled by how it is used (the context).  One thing is for sure, love requires action.  Jacob's example of his love for Rachel is very clear by his willingness to work seven years to receive her as his wife.

However, the phrase we often quote "what goes around comes around" (NT - what we sow, we reap) comes back to haunt Jacob.   He was enraged when he learned that Laban had tricked him. The deceiver of Esau was now deceived himself. How natural it is for us to become upset at an injustice done to us while closing our eyes to the injustices we do to others. Haven't you found it true that sin has a way of coming back to haunt us?

Most likely Laban deceived Jacob in order to get another seven years' work from him.   Jacob loved Rachel so much that he was willing to work another seven years (v. 28). 

There is so much we can learn from this chapter but two things are very clear to me.  #1 I want to sow righteously today and #2 I want to put my love to action.  It is not enough for me to just sit behind my piano and get lost in worshipping the LORD.  I want HIS love to work through me so that my actions throughout the day would demonstrate my "ahab" towards HIM.

Love in Christ, Alan

Genesis 30:1-8

"Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!"  2 And Jacob's anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"  3 So she said, "Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her." 4 Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, "God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. 7 And Rachel's maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, "With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed." So she called his name Naphtali."

As a rule of thumb, biblical interpretation should begin with what the text means to the first audience that heard it. So, I will resist the temptation here to immediately spiritualize this story. But the implications are pretty powerful and so I won't try to avoid them.

During this time, it was a high degree of blessing, honor and status for a woman to bear children.  The opposite was true in that it was viewed as a stigma or grievous calamity to not be able to bear children.  The intense anxiety of Hebrew women for children arose from the hope of giving birth to the promised seed.

In light of this, and I might add what society put on Rachel and not God, "Rachel envied her sister".   The Hebrew word for envied is קנא qânâ' kaw-naw' It is a primitive root; to be (causatively make) zealous, that is, (in a bad sense) jealous or envious: -  (be) envy (-ious), be (move to, provoke to) jealous (-y), X very, (be) zeal (-ous).

Envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more offensive to God, nor more injurious to our neighbor and ultimately our self. She considered not that it was God that made the difference, and that though, in this single instance her sister was preferred before her, yet in other things she had the advantage (Jacobs love).

Rachel and Leah were locked in a cruel contest. In their race to have more children, they both gave their maidservants to Jacob as concubines. Even thought this was an accepted custom of the day, Jacob would have been wise to refuse.  The fact that a custom is socially acceptable does not mean it is wise or right. We can be spared much heartbreak if we look at the potential consequences to our actions. We need to ask ourselves, are we doing anything now that might cause future problems?

May you and I be carefully watching against all the risings and workings of this passion in our minds. Let not our eye be evil towards any of our brothers and sisters because our Heavenly Father is good.

I close with a New Testament model:  Titus 3:3-7 (Notice the word envy in this text)

"For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Can you see the concept hear?  To live enviously is to live foolishly.  May we learn from the example in Genesis 30 that envy will only produce the fear of man, anger and jealousy.

Stay in Love with HIS kindness,

Alan

Genesis 31:13

"I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family. "

In Genesis, Chapter 31, we see how Jacob's wealth has made Laban's sons jealous. Laban's motivation is made very clear to Jacob.  After 20 years, Jacob is release by God to go back to the land of his fathers (v.3). 

The truth is sometimes it is difficult to be happy when others are doing better than we are. We need to be reminded from this passage that to compare our success with that of others is a dangerous way to judge the quality of our lives. By comparing ourselves to others, we may be giving jealousy a foothold. One of the keys to avoiding jealousy is learning to rejoice in others' successes.

In verse 13 the Lord identified Himself as the same God who had revealed Himself to Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:18-22).  This is a great example of how God honors our vows.  The two Hebrew words that our used are nadar, naw-dar'; a primitive root; to promise (positively, to do or give something to God) :- (make a) vow; and neder, neh'-der; or neder, nay'-der; from Hebrew 5087 (nadar); a promise (to God); also (concrete) a thing promised :- vow ([-ed]).  In other words Jacob's vow is being honored by God.  And God is faithful to speak our language back to us.  This is also a beautiful reminder that God does not forget our earnest prayers and commitments.

Let me remind you of Jacobs vow: Genesis 28:18-22

"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. 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."

Remember today what you have promised (nadar) to God and even more importantly what HE has promised you.  I leave you with the words of the Apostle Peter:

2 Peter 1:1-4

"Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

 In His Service,  Alan

Genesis 32:9-12

Then Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you: 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. 12 For You said, I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. "

In the previous chapters we have read how Jacob's brother Esau had formerly vowed revenge upon him, and how he was determined to kill him (Genesis 27:41).  Now having an opportunity, and in his power to do it, being accompanied with four hundred men, Jacob feared he would attempt it.   As a result of this Jacob prays to the Lord, who was greater than Esau, to deliver him from falling into his hands, and being destroyed by him.

In his prayer Jacob reminded the Lord of His promises to him, "I will deal well with you." Then Jacob confessed his humility before God's mercy in the words, "I am not worthy." Next, Jacob asked God to "Deliver me".  He did not pray in generalities. Instead, he named his concern: Esau! Finally, he concluded with another appeal to God's promises, "You said".  

Today you and I can likewise base our prayers on God's proven character and His promises in the Word of God.  But also, like Jacob, we must remember to come to the LORD in humility because we too are not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which God has shown us.  The Hebrew word for "worthy" is קטן qâṭôn kaw-tone' It is a primitive root to diminish, that is, be (causatively make) diminutive or (figuratively) of no account: - be a (make) small (thing), be not worthy. 

Jacob was able to recognize that he was insignificant in and of himself, but not God's Words spoken to Him (really God's words spoken in him).  In other words, "this is about You and not me; and because of who You are LORD and what You have said and done, reveal your deliverance so that your promises are accomplished".   I call this faith talk!  My prayer for you and me today is that we would know this talk and that our walk would reflect us experiencing that talk.  I leave you with a New Testament scripture about faith:

1 John 5:4 (KJV) 

    For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Blessings, Alan

Genesis 33:18-20

"Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. ¹⁹ And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money. ²⁰ Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel."

Jacob, now named Israel, built an altar for the worship of the Lord, just as his grandfather had (Gen. 12:7). The word "altar" in Hebrew is מזבּח  mizbêach miz-bay'-akh; an altar: - altar.  For Jacob this was a place of sacrifice, thanksgiving, and worship to El Elohe Israel.  The Hebrew is אל אלהי ישׂראל 'êl 'ĕlôhêy yiśrâ'êl ale el-o-hay' yis-raw-ale' From H410 and H430 and H3478; the mighty God of Jisrael; El Elohi Jisrael, the title given to a consecrated spot by Jacob: - El-elohe-israel.  The combination of Hebrew words is one in its kind.  You will not find it anywhere in the OT other than here in Genesis 33.  The name he gave the altar reflected his mature faith in "God, the God of Israel." The God of Jacob's fathers was now Jacob's personal God, for He had fulfilled His promises and protected him (Gen. 28:13).

Life can bring us some challenges and bad situations. We can feel cheated, as Esau did, but we don't have to remain bitter. We can remove bitterness from our lives by sincere and honest expressions to God, forgiving those who have wronged us, and being content with what we have.  I pray that we would experience the mercies of God today and just as God brought Jacob into safety, he would also bring you and yours.

I leave you with a NT passage of scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

May HE do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think.  HE did it for Jacob and HE can and is willing to do it for you!

Trusting in El Elohe Israel, 

Alan

Genesis 34:1-4; 25-31

"Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her. 3 His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this young woman as a wife."

"Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. 26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went out. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, 29 and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I." 31 But they said, "Should he treat our sister like a harlot?"

In Chapter 34 we begin to read about the pain Jacob will experience as he learns of his children's deceit, envy and jealousy.  In this particular passage we read how Shechem notices Dinah and forces her to have intercourse with him. The term violated translates the same word used for Amnon's rape of Tamar (2 Sam. 13:12, 14). Despite what he did, it is said that Shechem loved Dinah. The expression spoke kindly literally means, "spoke to her heart."  However, when Shechem raped Dinah, the consequences were far greater than he could have imagined. Dinah's brothers were outraged and took revenge. Pain, deceit, and murder followed. Sexual sin is devastating because its consequences are so far reaching.

In seeking revenge against Shechem, Simeon and Levi lied, stole, and murdered. They used the covenant of circumcision to accomplish vengeance.  I believe we can see that their desire for justice was right, but their ways of achieving it were wrong.  Jacob makes this statement, "You have troubled me by making me obnoxious."  The word in Hebrew is בּאשׁ bâ'ash baw-ash'  It is a primitive root; to smell bad; figuratively to be offensive morally: - (make to) be abhorred (had in abomination, loathsome, odious), (cause a, make to) stink (-ing savour), X utterly.  In other words Jacob was declaring to his children that you have made us an embarrassing odor to our neighbors.

We will learn ladder in Genesis that beecause of their sin, their father will curse them with his dying breath (Genesis 49:5-7). Generations later, their descendants lost the part of the promised land allotted to them. One major lesson we can learn here is that when tempted to return evil for evil, we need to leave revenge to God and spare ourself the dreadful consequences of sin.

I leave you with a New Testament scripture:  Romans 12:19-21

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him;  If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Stay true to HIS call,

Alan

Genesis 35:1-4

Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." 2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone." 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.

God told Jacob to continue to Bethel, the place where God had first appeared to him (28:10).  "Arise go up to Bethel" - Here God reminds Jacob of his vow at Beth - el (House of God), and sends him back to perform it, Jacob had said in the day of his distress, If I come again in peace, this stone shall be God's house (Gen. 28:22). God had performed his part by given Jacob protection, more than bread to eat, and raiment to put on.

It is interesting to note that this is the first time in the Bible that God commanded an altar to be made for Him. Abraham constructed an altar, but no divine command was recorded (12:7, 8).  The Hebrew word for altar is mizbeach, miz-bay'-akh; and it comes from Hebrew (zabach) which means to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice) :- kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.  This is a call to action by God.

Then Jacob said unto his household ... Put away the foreign (strange) gods that are among you ? Hebrew, "gods of the stranger," of foreign nations.  Why did the people have these idols ("foreign gods")? Idols were sometimes seen more as good luck charms than as gods. Some Israelites, even though they worshiped God, had idols in their homes, just as some Christians today own good luck trinkets. Jacob believed that idols should have no place in his household. He wanted nothing to divert his family's spiritual focus.

Jacob ordered his household to get rid of their gods. Unless we remove idols from our lives, they can destroy our faith. What idols do we have? An idol is anything we put before God. Idols don't have to be physical objects; they can be thoughts or desires. Like Jacob, we should get rid of anything that could stand between us and God.

I pray that we would always remember what God has brought us through, how HE has been our provider, sustainer, and keeper.  I leave you with a New Testament passage:

Hebrews 12:5-6 "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Walk in His Commands,  Alan

Genesis 36:1

"Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom."

The Hebrew term for genealogy (towl^edah) means "family history".  At birth, Esau was notably red in color (Genesis 25:25) and so he was called Edom, meaning "Red" (v. 8).

Many of us when reading through the Bible, find ourselves skipping through the genealogies, wondering how inspired are they really?  The truth is they have a very significant role.  In the case of Genesis 36, it will show the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham, concerning the multiplication of his seed, and the accomplishment of the oracle to Rebekah, signifying that two nations were in her womb. 

Be reminded today that God is the fulfiller of HIS promises and that HE has all the details worked out for your life.  My prayer for you and I today is that we would learn to be guided by the Holy Spirit every time we read the Holy Scriptures.  May the Word of God equip us and ready us to trust and obey.  As the old hymn reads: Trust and Obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

I leave you with a New Testament scripture that reminds of to learn from others:

1 Corinthians 10:11

"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come."

Finding Rest in Him,

Alan

Genesis 37:10-11

"So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind."

Chapter 37 is a painful story of a dysfunctional family.  The brothers go from anger, to hatred, to more hatred, to envy, and to plots of murder.  The Hebrew word for "envied" is  קנא qânâ' - It is a primitive root; to be (causatively make) zealous, that is, (in a bad sense) jealous or envious: -  (be) envy (-ious), be (move to, provoke to) jealous (-y), X very, (be) zeal (-ous).

Could jealousy ever make you feel like killing someone? Before saying, "never," look at what happened in this story. Ten men were willing to kill their younger brother over a bad report, a robe and a few reported dreams. Their deep jealousy had grown into ugly rage, completely blinding them to what was right. Jealousy can be difficult to recognize because our reasons for it seem to make sense. But left unchecked, jealousy grows quickly and leads to serious sins. The longer we cultivate jealous feelings, the harder it is for us to uproot them. The time to deal with jealousy is when you notice yourself keeping score of what others have.  Guard you heart!

To cover their evil action, Jacob's sons deceived their father into thinking Joseph was dead. As we have seen in the previous chapters, Jacob himself had deceived others many times (including his own father; Genesis 27:35). Now, though blessed by his covenant keeping God, he still had to face the consequences of his sins. God may not have punished Jacob immediately for his deceit, but the consequences came nevertheless and stayed with him for the rest of his life.

The sad ending for these ten brothers in this chapter is that the removal of their annoying brother did not produce the greater love or fulfillment that they were looking for.  These ten brothers continued their foolish thinking when they thought that they could actually comfort their father without truth.  (Gen.37:35 "And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." Thus his father wept for him.")

May we be reminded of our need to walk in truth today.  I pray that jealousy would be far from your heart and that truth would reign in you so that you can be used to support and comfort those in pain.

I leave you with a New Testament passage:

2 Cor. 13:11 "Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you."

In His Love and Peace,  Alan

Genesis 38:24-26

And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry."

So Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"  25 When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "By the man to whom these belong, I am with child." And she said, "Please determine whose these are-the signet and cord, and staff."  26 So Judah acknowledged them and said, "She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son." And he never knew her again.

Chapter 38 of Genesis' takes an interesting break from the story of Joseph being sold into slavery.  In this chapter we find Judah making some poor decisions.  The story provides a stunning contrast between the morals of Judah and Joseph.  Judah marries a Canaanite woman (which was a compromise because of the false gods that they worshipped) and solicited a Canaanite prostitute (who happened to be his daughter-in-law, v. 11). 

"She has been more righteous": The Hebrew word for righteous in this context is   צדק tsâdaq tsaw-dak' - This is a primitive root; to be (causatively make) right (in a moral or forensic sense): - cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just (-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be, turn to) righteous (-ness).  Judah, one of the heirs of the everlasting covenant with the living God, was put to shame by a Canaanite woman. To his credit, Judah confessed his sins.  This story in no way implies that God winks at prostitution. Throughout Scripture, prostitution is condemned as a serious sin.

What I find myself gleaning from this chapter is a fresh awareness of God's incredible mercy to the people of God.  Man continues to change, we make good decision and then bad, we do right and then we do wrong.  However God's covenant and promises remain the same.  The fact is Judah and Tamar are direct ancestors of Jesus Christ (see Matthew 1:1-6).  Wow!  What mercy!!! Is this because of Judah and Tamar or is it because of who God is and what HE has said. 

Please understand that this chapter is not a justification of our sin.  There are sometimes painful consequences for wrong choices.  However, may we see again from the scriptures that God has a plan and He will accomplish it.  My prayer for you today is that you would be aware of HIS mercies so that you will not be so quick to pass judgment on others.  Remember Judah!

Learning to walk in HIS mercy and love,

Alan

Genesis 39:21

"Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand."

The Lord was with Joseph: This is a key phrase in Genesis 39, it is repeated three times (vv. 2, 21, 23). This phrase indicates that God cared for, protected, and blessed Joseph.  It is important to remember that God commanded Abraham and his descendants to be a blessing to everyone (Gen. 12:2, 3). Here Joseph, forced into a foreign country by the anger of his brothers, brought God's blessing to an Egyptian official's home. Another important factor to be observed is that, the Egyptian knew that the blessing was from God.

There are some wonderful things that we can learn from the life of Joseph.  For example,  though changed in condition, Joseph was not changed in spirit; though stripped of the coat of many colors that had adorned his person, he had not lost the moral integrity that had distinguished his character; though separated from his father on earth, he still lived in communion with his Father in heaven; though in the house of an idolater, he continued to be a worshipper of the one true God.

As a prisoner and slave, Joseph could have seen his situation as hopeless. Instead, he did his best with each small task given him. His diligence and positive attitude were soon noticed by the keeper of the prison, who promoted him to prison administrator. Are you facing a seemingly hopeless predicament? At work, at home, or at school, follow Joseph's example by taking each small task and doing your best. Remember how God turned Joseph's situation around. He can do the same for you. 

One last comment: Joseph exemplified faithful stewardship and the principle that one who is faithful in a little will be given charge over much:

Matthew 25:21

"His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord."

1 Corinthians 4:2

"His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord."

I pray that you would experience God's presence today.  It is God's presence with us that makes all we do prosperous.

Love in Christ,  Alan

Genesis 40:8; 20-23

And they said to him, "We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it."

So Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please."

 "Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. 21 Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him."

Genesis 40 continues the story of Joseph's imprisonment.  Two new prisoners arrive in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.  The cupbearer and the baker were two of the most trusted men in Pharaoh's kingdom. The baker was in charge of making the Pharaoh's food, and the cupbearer tasted all of his food and drink before giving it to him, in case any of it was contaminated or poisoned. These trusted men must have been suspected of a serious wrong, perhaps of conspiring against Pharaoh.

When the subject of dreams came up, Joseph focused everyone's attention on God.  Even while he is in prison he looks for opportunities to be of service to his supreme God (אלהים 'ĕlôhîym  el-o-heem').  What a lesson we can learn from the life of Joseph.  Rather than use the gifts that God has given us to make ourselves look good, we need to turn it into a powerful witness for the Lord. When the opportunity arises, may we have the courage to speak, as Joseph did.

The chapter will end on a sad note because the cupbearer was released and the baker was executed just as Joseph had predicted. However when Pharaoh's cupbearer was freed from prison, he forgot about Joseph, even though he had Joseph to thank for his freedom. It was two full years before Joseph had another opportunity to be freed (Genesis 41:1). Yet Joseph's faith was deep, and he would be ready when the next chance came. When we feel passed by, overlooked, or forgotten, we shouldn't be surprised that people are often ungrateful. In similar situations, trust God as Joseph did. More opportunities will arise but we must be ready (by maintaining healthy attitudes) to receive them.

My prayer this morning is that we would take the opportunity to declare the wonder of our God (אלהים 'ĕlôhîym  el-o-heem').  I conclude with a New Testament passage in 1 John 1:5 "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all."

Blessings, Alan

Genesis 41:16

"So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace."

Chapter 41 describes the turning point in Joseph's life. He rose from a dungeon to the Egyptian throne room.  God engineered the circumstances so that through Joseph, He could meet the needs of a nation during the coming famine and reunite Jacob's family.  However, as it is made clear by studying the life of Joseph, this was no small task that he faced.  13 years is a long time to wait to see the fulfillment of God's Word.

There are a number of good lessons in this chapter, one example is in verse 16 where we have a strong emphasis on the word God ('elohiym).  Joseph praised the power of the living and supreme God in the pagan court of Pharaoh.  He would not take credit for his ability to interpret dreams or use his innocence to plead for his freedom.

Just as Joseph made sure that he gave the credit to God, we should be careful to do the same.  To take the honor for ourselves is a form of stealing God's honor.  Don't be silent when you know you should be giving glory and credit to God.

Another lesson we learn is that Joseph had no warning that he would suddenly be pulled from prison and questioned by Pharaoh.  Yet he was ready for almost anything because of his right relationship with God.  It was not Joseph's knowledge of dreams that helped him interpret their meaning.  It was his knowledge of God.  This teaches us to be ready for opportunities by getting to know more about God.  Then we will be ready to call on him when, and not if, opportunities come our way.

What I glean the most from this chapter is that Joseph's training for this important position involved being first a slave and then a prisoner.  In each situation he learned the importance of serving God and others. We too must learn that whatever our situation, no matter how undesirable, we must consider it part of our training program for serving God.

May God grace you today to remember who's you are, and that apart from HIM you have nothing to offer anyone.  I leave you with an admonition from Galatians 6:3 (KJV):

"For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."

Holding on to His Promises, Alan

Genesis 42:21-24

"Then they said to one another, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us."  22 And Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin against the boy; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us."  23 But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.  24 And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes."

Chapter 42 is one of the most revealing chapters of the Bible when it comes to experiencing guilt.  "We are truly guilty concerning our brother"; meaning Joseph, whom they had sold for a slave, and who they supposed was dead and now being in trouble themselves, it brings to mind the sin they had been guilty of, which, though committed twenty two years ago, was still fresh in their memories, and lay heavy on their consciences.  Isn't it interesting how the length of time neither makes sin less, nor the conscience lighter?  The Hebrew word for "guilty" is 'asham, aw-sham'; or 'ashem, aw-shame'; it is a primitive root; to be guilty; by implication to be punished or perish :- × certainly, be (-come, made) desolate, destroy, × greatly, be (-come, found, hold) guilty, offend (acknowledge offence), trespass.

The reason for their guilt was that when they saw the anguish of their brother's soul, when he pleaded with them, they would not hear.  The Hebrew word for "hear" is shama`,  shaw-mah'; It is a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causative to tell, etc.) :- × attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear (-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim (-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever [heareth], witness. 

Think about this when in the utmost agony, with fear and trembling, with quivering lips, and floods of tears, as they stripped him of his coat, he earnestly pleaded with them that they not put him into the pit, and leave him there; and in the same manner entreated them they would not put him into the hands of strangers, but restore him alive to his father; but they turned a deaf ear to all his cries and hardened themselves against him. 

Before we are to quick to identify with the life of Joseph, we need to be reminded that when it comes to our relationship with our Creator, we have more in common with the brothers than we do Joseph.  Let me remind you of the scriptures in Romans 3:19-26

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Take time to thank the good LORD for HIS grace and mercy.  Because HIS blood was shed for you and me we can know true forgiveness so that we no longer live under guilt and shame.

Walking in HIS freedom,

Alan

Genesis 43:1-9

Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food." 3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you. 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you. " 6 And Israel said, "Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?" 7 But they said, "The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, Is your father still alive? Have you another brother? And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, Bring your brother down?" 8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.

Have you every asked yourself how do you know if someone has truly repented?  Well, this is an Old Testament story that can help us understand what takes place in a heart that is repentant.   

In Chapter 43 we learn how the famine continues in Canaan and that Jacob's family is again out of grain.  Jacob asked his sons to go back to Egypt to require more food but the brother's of Joseph explain that they can not return without Benjamin.  Jacob has already said no to the request to bring Benjamin with them, after Reuben, the first born, had sworn to keep his father's youngest son safe.  In this chapter it is Judah who accepted full responsibility for Benjamin's safety.  He did not know what that might mean for him, but he was determined to be loyal.

I would call this a change in heart in light of what we have learned from the life of Judah in previous chapters.  As a reminder it was Judah, in Genesis 37:26-27, who said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?  Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened."  It was also Judah who in chapter 38 broke off with his family to marry a Canaanite woman and then later seeks out a prostitute, who turned out to be his daughter-in-law. 

It is not far reaching to see here that Judah's conscience had gotten to him for what he had done a great while ago against Joseph; and as an evidence of the truth of his repentance, he is ready to put his life on the line for Benjamin's security. This is such great example of beginning process of restitution: Judah's willingness to bear the blame forever, if he did not come through regarding his words about Benjamin's safety, is a change in heart and focus.  Something we must all experience if we are to be true Disciples of Christ.

Looking ahead we can see that it was Judah's stirring words that caused Joseph to break down with emotion and reveal himself to his brothers (Genesis 44:18-34). Accepting responsibilities is difficult, but it builds character and confidence, earns others' respect, and motivates us to finish strong.

I pray that you would allow God to work in your life so that you can be open to the restoration that is needed for you to finish your race in FAITH.  I close with the powerful words that the Apostle Paul spoke in Acts 20:24 "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

Testifying to the gospel of the grace of God, 

Alan

Genesis 44:30-34

"Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad's life, 31 it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever. 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. 34 For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?"

In this chapter you can't help but ask the questions: Did Joseph want to see if his brothers' attitudes had changed for the better; was he testing them to see the way they would treat each other?  No matter your take on this, one thing is for sure, Judah was now living up to his name (He was giving praise to God with his life).  He explained to Joseph the deep despair his father would experience if he lost Benjamin.  Then he offered himself as a slave in Benjamin's place.  The Hebrew word for slave is `ebed, eh'-bed; from Hebrew 5647 (`abad); a servant :- × bondage, bondman, [bond-] servant, (man-) servant.  Judah had promised Jacob that he would guarantee young Benjamin's safety (Genesis 43:9).  Becoming a slave was a terrible fate, but Judah was determined to keep his word to his father. He showed great courage in carrying out his promise. Accepting a responsibility means carrying it out with determination and courage, regardless of the personal sacrifice. 

Judah, who had stepped forward with the plan to sell Joseph (Genesis 37:27), now stepped forward to take Benjamin's punishment so that Benjamin could return to his father.  This courageous act convinced Joseph that his brothers had dramatically changed for the better.

Let the scriptures encourage you today that God is in the business of changing lives.  What seems impossible with man is possible for and with God.  If you are wondering if someone you know can change for good, remember Judah. 

I close with a New Testament scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

A work in process,  Alan

Genesis 45:3-8

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. 4 And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Chapter 45 is a powerful example to me of God's sovereignty - "you sold me.God sent me."  In other words, although Joseph's brothers had wanted to get rid of him, God used even their evil actions to fulfill his ultimate plan. He sent Joseph ahead to preserve their lives, save Egypt, and prepare the way for the beginning of the nation of Israel.  The  word "posterity" in the Hebrew is שׁארית   sh^e'eriyth, (sheh-ay-reeth'); from Hebrew 7604 (sha'ar); a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion :- that had escaped, be left, posterity, remain (-der), remnant, residue, rest.  This Hebrew word helps us to see how God is purposeful in fulfilling his promise to multiply Abraham's seed (Genesis 17:2).

May this be a fresh reminder that His plans are not dictated by human actions. When others intend evil toward you, remember that they are only God's tools. As Joseph said to his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (Genesis 50:20).  God is sovereign! 

I leave you with this question to ponder:  Could it be that Joseph became more aware of God's sovereignty the more he released forgiveness?  In other words, could our choosing to forgive those who accuse, abuse or hurt us, be the key to understanding and experiencing God's sovereignty?  This is definitely something to consider.

I pray that you would experience the Love of Christ today and that you would be used by God to save lives with a great deliverance.

I leave you with a New Testament passage: Romans 8:28

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

One who has known a great deliverance,  Alan

Genesis 46:1-4

So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob!"  And he said, "Here I am." 3 So He said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes."

In chapter 46 we are told the beautiful story of Jacob, with all his family and substance, taking the journey to Egypt to see his son Joseph.  Scriptures indicate that Jacob had many fears in his mind about this journey.  This is the reason for God's word, "do not fear to go down to Egypt".  There may have been a number of reasons for Jacobs's fears: #1 he knew his father, Isaac, was forbidden to go to Egypt (Gen. 26:1-3); #2 he most likely was aware of Abraham's dealings with Egypt (Gen. 12); #3 he knew of the idolatry in Egypt and didn't want his family to forsake the worship of the true God; #4 he most likely didn't want to leave the promise land; #5 (And to me this is a big one) Jacob may have called to mind the prophecy delivered to Abraham, of his seed being strangers and servants, and afflicted in a land not theirs for the space of four hundred years (Gen. 15:13).  With all of this it is know wonder why Jacob needed those wonder words: "I will go down with you to Egypt." 

I want to encourage you that when new situations or surroundings frighten you, recognize that experiencing fear is normal. The key will always be to run to the LORD just as Jacob did by preparing a sacrifice to God (vs. 1).  God is so faithful!!!!!

My prayer today is that we would trust in HIS word and know that we do not walk alone. Some of the words of my favorite hymn as a child are: "No never alone, no never alone, He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone, no never alone, no never alone, He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone."

Learning to walk with HIM,  Alan

Genesis 47:27-31

So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob's life was one hundred and forty-seven years. 29 When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place." And he said, "I will do as you have said." 31 Then he said, "Swear to me." And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.

Chapter 47 will remind us again of God's promises.  He told Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob he would multiply their seed.  It is happening just as He said, because God cannot lie.  We also can see a wonderful picture of God's provision as Joseph is blessed with his father presence for 17 more years (Joseph was 17 when he was sold into slavery). 

One of the great lessons we can glean from this chapter is how Jacob is preparing for death.  The fact that he wanted to be buried back in Canaan reveals the faith of Jacob in what God has spoken about God's people processing the land.  And even more beautiful is how in Jacob's old age, which Pharaoh himself gave attention too, Jacob bowed himself in humility.  The word"bowed" in Hebrew is  שׁחה shâchâh (shaw-khaw'), it is a primitive root; to depress, that  is, prostrate (especially reflexively in homage to royalty or God): - bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.  In other words, in Jacob's last days he is still worshipping and giving thanks to His God for the favor he and his family is receiving.  Hebrews 11:12 highlights this: "By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff." 

The truth is we do not know when we will take our last breath.  However, I pray that as we learn to acknowledge the LORD in all that we do and say, we too will leave this earth in reverence and honor to our God and Savior.  Continue to invest in that which will abide forever - FAITH - HOPE - LOVE, and you will be ready for that day!

Learning to Abide,   Alan

Genesis 48:3-4

Then Jacob said to Joseph: "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and said to me, Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession. And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

Chapter 48 is a wonderful reflection on God's appearances to him (28:10, 19; 35:6) and God's promises to his family.  It is also interesting to note that this is the fifth time the name El Shaddai (God Almighty) is found in Genesis (17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 49:25).

In this chapter we also have Joseph presenting his sons to his father in an act of humility and respect. He placed his sons so that his father's right hand would rest on the head of the older son and the left hand on the younger. Joseph realized that his father's right hand was on the head of the younger boy, and he attempted to rearrange his father's hands. But Jacob deliberately reversed his hands, putting Ephraim first.  Once again in Genesis, God overturned the expected order of things.  What is so beautiful to note is that this act, according to Hebrews 11:21, is and act of faith ("By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff").

I believe we can learn some important lessons from the life of Jacob.  As Jacob, we too must never forget where we have come from and that every good thing comes from God.  To develop an attitude like Jacob's let God shepherd you as you trust in his provision and care.  Remember, God doesn't do well in the boxes of our mind.  Even Joseph, who walked in wisdom and integrity, had to learn this lesson. 

I pray that you would experience El Shaddai's provision and care.  For those of us who have children, may we learn to trust God to shepherd our children in the ways He has ordained for them.  I pray also that we would learn to bless what God is blessing.

Walking in HIS Grace & Mercy,  Alan

Genesis 49:1-2

And Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days: 2 "Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.

In Chapter 49 of Genesis we see how Jacob gathers together his sons to share with them what will "befall" them.  The word in Hebrew is  קרא qârâ' (kaw-raw'), It is a primitive root; to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile manner: - befall, (by) chance, (cause to) come (upon), fall out, happen, meet.  In other words Jacobs is about to share with his children, while all are present, what they and their seed will encounter.

It is very clear to me that Jacob is under the influence of the Holy Spirit as he prophesies over each of his children. We can understand by studying Genesis that the way the sons had lived played an important part in Jacob's blessing and prophecy. This should be a fresh reminder to us that our past also affects our present and future. By sunrise tomorrow, our actions of today will have become part of the past. Yet they will already have begun to shape the future.

One of the main things that stand out to me this morning is how Judah is blessed (vs. 8-12). Why was Judah?known for selling Joseph into slavery and trying to defraud his daughter-in-law?so greatly blessed?  Why did God choose Judah to be the ancestor of Israel's line of kings (that is the meaning of "the scepter will not depart from Judah")? I believe it may have been due to Judah's dramatic change of character (Genesis 44:33-34). The brother who wanted to get rid of Joseph was now the brother who was willing to give his life for Benjamin.  Judah became the son who turned his life around to live up to his name.  Judah's line would produce the promised Messiah, Jesus.

I pray that you would take courage today.  It is never too late to begin to sow righteously.  Live your life to please the LORD.  Acknowledge HIM in all your ways that HE would direct your path.  The life of blessing is found in serving the LORD will all of your heart, soul and mind.  I leave you with Jesus' description of those who are blessed: 

Matthew 5:3-12 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Blessings, Alan

Genesis 50: 24-26

And Joseph said to his brethren, "I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." 25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." 26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Genesis 50 is a powerful conclusion with the death of Jacob, Joseph's favor with Pharaoh to bury his father in of the land Canaan, and the fear that comes over Joseph's brothers when their father died (thinking Joseph may revenge his brothers for their treatment).

However, what blesses me the most about this chapter is how powerful Joseph's confession of faith is at the end of his life.  You see, Joseph knew that the national feelings of the Egyptians would have been opposed to his burial in Canaan; but he gave the strongest proof of the strength of his faith and full assurance of the promises, by "the commandment concerning his bones".  The book of Hebrews say's this:  "By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones" (Heb.11:22).

These last three verses (24-26) set the stage for what would begin to happen in Exodus and come to completion in Joshua. God was going to make Jacob's family into a great nation, lead them out of Egypt, and bring them into the land he had promised them. The nation would rely heavily on this promise, and Joseph emphasized his belief that God would do what he had promised.  This is what I would call dying in faith.  I can't think of a better way to leave this world than to prophecy about the promises of God in such a way that it gives hope for generations to come. 

I pray that we would be people of Faith.  We know from Hebrews 11 it is impossible to please God without faith.  We also understand through scripture that faith is a gift from God.  May we learn to live in faith so that when it is our time to die, we die in faith so as to receive its reward.

I conclude with a New Testament passage: 1 Peter 1:6-9

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith-the salvation of your souls.

Desiring to be found faithful,  Alan