You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Genesis 25, 27, 30, 32, 33-41, 41-47, and 48-50 

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This evening, I continue with the story of "Jacob: Wrestling with the Past*".

*Title of lesson three from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day five starts with Max Lucado discussing how although Jacob wrestled with God and grew closer to God from the experience, Jacob nonetheless continued to sin (as we all do) and separate himself from God due to bad and ungodly decisions. He highlights how Jacob married one woman (Leah) that he did not love so he could marry the one he did love (Rachel).  Rachel initially could not bare children so Jacob bore children via Leah and a host of handmaidens and concubines.  Rachel ultimately bore Jacob a son and Jacob favored this son - Joseph and this favoritism only increased what was already an dysfunctional family.  Jacob's favoritism was compounded by his obliviousness and it led to Joseph being sold by his brothers to slave traders.  Lucado encourages us to avoid separation from God and to make Godly decisions through a daily, close relationship with Jesus Christ.

We then see how Joseph's story indicates God orchestrated good out of Joseph's trials (Genesis 45), and how orchestrates reunion of Jacob with Joseph and restoration of Jacob. Lucado wants us have three takeaways:

1. Always listen to God's instruction and avoid falling into patterns of sin where we repeat mistakes of our past
2. Restoration matters to God and He will shake things up to bring that healing to our lives
3. No matter what evil others intend for us, God can always use our situation to accomplish His good purposes.
   

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who blessed and restored me despite my past sin - You drew me near to You and restored me beyond what I deserve.  I am grateful but again I am undeserving.  I worry, and I put my own earthly comfort ahead of my relationship with You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Genesis 25, 27, 30, and 32

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Jacob: Wrestling with the Past*".

*Title of lesson three from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day four starts with Max Lucado discussing how our past sins cause all of us to wrestle (just as Jacob did) with guilt, shame, and fear of consequences at some point in our lives.  Lucado asks us to look at the stories of Samson, David, Elijah (1 Kings 19), and Peter, all of who struggled with guilt and fear. Some, like Jacob run from their past, yet Lucado wants us to understand the true power of repentance and pursuing God.

Psalm 32 offers a number of verses on the power of repentance. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You have shown me the power of repentance with a changed life - a life more oriented towards You...and You have blessed me in ways I cannot imagine.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin continues.  Worry, etc. Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Genesis 25, 27, 30, and 32

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Jacob: Wrestling with the Past*".

*Title of lesson three from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day three starts with Max Lucado emphasizing that "God blesses us in spite of our lives and not because of our lives." God knows all about Jacob's past yet He still blesses him and gives Jacob a new name - a new name that is more symbolic of who Jacob is in God's eyes. Lucado then wants us to see how Jacob focused on knowing God's name (Genesis 32:29) and that with each encounter (or wrestling match) with God, Jacob's name for God evolved as he better understood God's character.  Ultimately, as Jacob gets older he sees God as his "shepherd" and "the Angel who has delivered [him] from all harm" (Genesis 48:15-16). 

For me, this morning, my takeaway is that we are encouraged to "wrestle" with Him - check out this awesome post at DesiringGod.com. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and whom I have seen and significantly encountered many times in my life and I am grateful for each and every encounter as my love for You as grown - I know You exist and You have blessed me in so many ways I cannot even list all of them here.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  I worry and I have many other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

 Genesis 25, 27, 30, and 32

 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Jacob: Wrestling with the Past*".

*Title of lesson three from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day two starts with Max Lucado discussing how Jacob wrestles with God and Lucado indicates that once Jacob recognizes that he has encountered God, He seeks God's blessing and that this is a bold ask.  We are encouraged to approach God boldly in our interactions - not in an arrogant manner, but in a manner where we know that God is all powerful and He is capable of doing anything - assuming it is His will.  Lucado points us to Ephesians 3:

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12

Lucado then wants us to look at how God has left reminders (physical or otherwise) for us to remember the encounters we have with Him. 

Finally, as part of today's review of Jacob's story, we are encouraged by Lucado to see how Jacob's request to be blessed can be distilled down to a simple matter for God to settle: "God, do I matter to You?"

Lucado points us to the following verses:

• John 1:12 (NCV)
• Romans 8:15-16 (NIV)
• 1 John 3:1 (NLT)
• Ephesians 2:19 (NLV) 
• Galatians 4:7 (NIV) 
• Isaiah 49:16 (NIV) 
  

All of the above verses underscore how we DO matter to God, and how believers are part of God's family.

I am encouraged to be bold in my interactions with God.

Discuss and comment on this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and I know I matter to You...deeply.  I am part of Your family - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift...my sin continues, including worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message to me today and every day.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Genesis 25, 27, 30, and 32

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This afternoon, I start with the story of "Jacob: Wrestling with the Past*".

*Title of lesson three from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day one starts with Max Lucado pointing to how Jacob was a "conniver" and had on three occasions, deceived others to get what he wanted:

• Esau (Genesis 25:27-34)
• Issac (Genesis 27:14-29)
• Laban (Genesis 30:29-43) 
  

Yet Jacob had to start dealing with his past deeds upon a reunion with Esau where he thought Esau would be vengeful.  Previously Jacob would run from his past but this time he could not. Although I will focus in more detail how Jacob wrestles with God and deals with his past, today's reading encourages me to see how God sees everything and He orchestrates ways for us to come to grips with our past sins - all of this to see how much God loves us.  God knows everything about us - yet He still pursues us and loves us.  He wants a relationship with us despite our sin - amazing!

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God indeed - You know everything about me, including my sin, yet You still pursued me, died for me, and You STILL love me!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I worry, and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Job 1-42

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Job: God's Presence in the Storm*".

*Title of lesson two from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day five starts with a humbling perspective that Job (and all of us at least from time to time) is like "clay, telling the potter not to press so hard". We are pointed to Job where God says:

Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me. Job 41:11

Lucado writes that "God owes man nothing...which makes the fact that [H]e gave us everything even more astounding".  Job finally sees God for how He truly is - not as some distant cruel God but as a God who never leaves or forsakes believers. We are encouraged to see how suffering produces endurance (Romans 5:3-5), perseverance, character, and hope. We are then pointed to how God restored Job with family and prosperity (Job 42). Job encountered God in ways that he never imagined.  We are encouraged to seek God during our times of trouble and to understand how we may never be restored as Job was but that God can still use our challenges to produce something of great value we may never fully see.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has seen me through periods of great trial and I have seen You in the storm with me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love.  I worry, am often harsh with others, etc.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Job 1-42

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Job: God's Presence in the Storm*".

*Title of lesson two from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day four starts with Max Lucado pointing out how Job, once God is finished responding to Job, is speechless.  There are no words to respond to God. Lucado uses the following verse to show us how Job is speechless:

“I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer—twice, but I will say no more.” Job 40:4-5

Lucado wants us also to be speechless, but more so not that we never speak to God or never respond to Him, but that we hold God in awe and that we truly seek God's name to be hallowed (holy, sacred, or revered per dictionary). We are also encouraged to look at how God seeks to get our attention. Lucado points to how God appeared to Elijah when he ran for his life after hearing of Jezebel's death sentence for him in 1 King 19:1-18. God seeks to comfort and provide for Elijah, and although God demonstrates his power through a wind, earthquake and fire, "God is not in" any of these as it appears He did not want to be appear to be angry with Elijah.  Instead God wanted to appear full of love so it says God appeared as a "gentle whisper".  God does want Elijah to stand firm in his faith but He is not angry at Elijah when he runs.  Time and time again we see how God is full of love for even those who either lack faith or who whose faith lapses for a period. Jonah, the Prodigal Son, Peter, Paul, etc. I know I can be included in this crowd of faithless or even faithless for a period.  Yet God is full of love, mercy, compassion, and patience.  

Lucado uses the story of Job to encourage us to listen to God vs talking to God in prayer - to be still, or to be silent and to focus on God. 

I am reminded of how Moses encourages the Israelites to be still in the face of looming death as the chasing Egyptian army bears down on them on the edge of the Red Sea.

Comment on and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who is full of mercy, compassion, and patience for me. You have helped me see through many a storms in my life and I am grateful.  Yet I am undeserving.  I continue to sin...worry, etc. Please forgive me Lord - help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.