Day 13: Genesis 32-36

This is Day 13 in my Daily Walk Journey. I'm following along with Your Daily Walk, by Bruce H. Wilkinson. Today's reading was about The Struggles of Jacob and Esau.

Genesis 32: "Jacob's Encounter with an Angel" (Jacob's Struggles with Esau)
Genesis 33: "Jacob's Encounter with Esau" (Jacob's Struggles with Esau)
Genesis 34: "Dinah's Encounter with Shechem" (Jacob's Family Struggles)
Genesis 35-36: "Jacob's Encounter with God" (Jacob's Family Struggles)

The heart of today's passage lies in Genesis 32.

Overview:
After his departure from Laban, Jacob fears the reunion with his brother Esau, who he deceived twenty years earlier. Before the meeting, Jacob wrestles with God, demands a blessing, and leaves with a new name. No longer a "deceiver," Jacob's name changes to Israel, which means "God strives." Jacob's reunion with Esau is a happy one, and God renews His promises to Jacob.


Daily Walk:
God richly blessed Jacob with wealth and material possessions. Jacob realizes these things come from God, and he is not worthy of them.


Reflect on the material possessions God has given you. Is it so you can be a blessing to others? If so, who?

• God has given us so much. We have more than we need right now, and I am extremely grateful.
• I would love to do something good with some of our money. Ideally, I think sponsoring a child in a third world country would be an amazing thing to do.

Acts 20:35
"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner, you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Your response:
What blessings has God given you, and how can you use those blessings to help others? Are you ready to make those changes in your life today? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Disclaimer: These are just my thoughts and insights from my own time studying the Bible. I hope to encourage others to spend time reading the Bible every day. I am not trying to teach, instruct, or push my thoughts on others. Please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions.

Day 12: Genesis 27-31

This is Day 12 in my Daily Walk Journey. I'm following along with Your Daily Walk, by Bruce H. Wilkinson. Today's reading was about Jacob's Birthright and Dream.

Genesis 27: "Jacob's Stolen Blessing" (Jacob's Spiritual Life)
Genesis 28: "Jacob's Dream" (Jacob's Spiritual Life)
Genesis 29-30: "Jacob's Wives and Children" (Jacob's Family Life)
Genesis 31: "Jacob's Quick Exit" (Jacob's Family Life)

The heart of today's passage lies in Genesis 27 and 29.

Thanks to http://gardenofpraise.com/bibl83s.htm for this image

Overview:
Jacob, whose name means "deceiver," certainly lived up to his name. He schemes with his mother to steal his brother, Esau's blessing. This was something he did not need to do. God had already foretold that Abraham's blessing and Covenant would continue through Jacob's line, even though he was the younger brother. But because of his deception, Jacob had to flee Esau's wrath and went to Laban.


During his twenty year stay, Jacob works for seven years to wed Rachel. However, Laban tricks Jacob into marrying Leah instead. Jacob does not find out until the next morning. After a total of 20 years, Jacob has married both Leah and Rachel, and also has sons by two of their maids. When he leaves Laban, Jacob has 11 sons, one daughter, and many flocks.


Daily Walk:
God used Laban to build Jacob's character. Despite Jacob's scheming, God still had great plans for him. However, if Jacob had only trusted God to fulfill His promises, he would have spared himself years worth of grief. God uses discipline to help cultivate spiritual maturity.


What will I do the next time I feel like rushing ahead of God?

• First, I have to recognize that I am trying to force my own timing instead of waiting on God's.
• I should devote time to prayer and listen for God's response before taking hasty action.
• Then, I need to let go of things and trust God to answer my prayers and guide my actions.

Insight:

• God designed marriage to be between one man and one woman. 
• One man (Jacob) and two wives (Leah and Rachel) created so much jealousy, bickering, scheming, and competition.

Genesis 2:23-24 - God's Perfect Plan for Marriage
"The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.'  For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh."

1 Kings 11:1-11 - Multiple Wives Creates Multiple Problems
"King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.

On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’s command. So the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates." 1 Kings 11:1-11

My Interpretation of this passage:

• Multiple wives (700 plus 300 concubines!) causes big problems.
• Solomon married pagan women, which God had specifically warned against.
• These pagan women turned Solomon from God.
• Solomon built pagan idols and alters for his wives.
• Because Solomon did these things, and did not keep the Covenant with God, God would tear the kingdom away from Solomon and his line.

Your response:
One of the focuses of today's study was waiting for God's timing. Do you ever feel impatient when you feel as though God hasn't answered your prayers? How do you cope? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Disclaimer: These are just my thoughts and insights from my own time studying the Bible. I hope to encourage others to spend time reading the Bible every day. I am not trying to teach, instruct, or push my thoughts on others. Please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions.

Day 11: Genesis 25-26

This is Day 11 in my Daily Walk Journey. I'm following along with Your Daily Walk, by Bruce H. Wilkinson. Today's reading was about Isaac's Family and Work.

Genesis 25: "Abraham's Death, Jacob's Birth, Esau's Birthright" (Isaac's Family)
Genesis 26: "Isaac the Deceiver, Isaac the Farmer, Isaac the Well Digger" (Isaac's Work)

The heart of today's passage lies in Genesis 25:19-26:5.

Thanks to http://www.free-stories.net/children-bible-stories/old-testament-stories for this image.

Overview:
God's promises to Abraham live on in His promises to Isaac and Isaac's twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Sin also lives on as Jacob steals Esau's birthright, and Isaac imitates Abraham's deception (calling his wife his sister to protect himself). Despite Isaac's and Jacob's failings, God upholds his Covenant.

Daily Walk:
Each one of us must be saved by our own faith. We cannot rely on our parents, spouses, or friends to help us.

John 1:12
"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name."

Insight:

• When Rebekah could not conceive, Isaac turned to God in prayer.
• When Rebekah had pain in her pregnancy, she followed Isaac's example and turned to God in prayer.
• God explained to Rebekah that she was carrying twins, and foretold that the older would serve the younger.
• Jacob and Esau were very different and were each favored by opposing parents, which led to heart ache.
• Jacob's deception also causes heart ache later in Genesis.

Your response:
When you have troubles, what is your immediate response? Where do you turn? Do you turn to God? How do you feel after prayer? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Disclaimer: These are just my thoughts and insights from my own time studying the Bible. I hope to encourage others to spend time reading the Bible every day. I am not trying to teach, instruct, or push my thoughts on others. Please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions.

Day 10: Genesis 21-14

This is Day 10 in my Daily Walk Journey. I'm following along with Your Daily Walk, by Bruce H. Wilkinson. Today's reading was about Isaac's Birth, Sarah Death, and Isaac's Bride.

Genesis 21: "Isaac's Birth" (Abraham's Faith Vindicated)
Genesis 22: "Isaac's Sacrifice" (Abraham's Faith Vindicated)
Genesis 23: "Sarah's Death" (Abraham's Faith Verified) 
Genesis 24: "Isaac's Bride" (Abraham's Faith Verified) 
                 
The heart of today's passage lies in Genesis 21:1-22:19.

Thanks to http://www.free-stories.net/children-bible-stories/ for this image.

Overview:
Twenty faith-stretching years later, Sarah gives birth to Isaac. Abraham is tested as God commands him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham obeys, God intervenes, and rewards Abraham's faithfulness. After Sarah's death, Abraham finds a wife for Isaac - Rebekah. His servant led the quest and is the perfect example of a man of faith. He prayed to God to show him the perfect bride for Isaac, and praised Him when his job was complete.

Daily Walk:
Genesis 21:1-2
"Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him."

My understanding of this passage:

• God answers our prayers in His perfect timing!
• Unfortunately, we don't have a countdown to God answering our prayers. We just have to trust that He will!

Insight:
God was testing Abraham's faith in His Covenant promise:

Hebrews 11:17-19
"By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death."

My understanding of this passage:

Abraham trusted God's promise to make a great nation from Isaac (who he and Sarah had conceived miraculously through God in their old age), and he believed that if he had to sacrifice Isaac, God would resurrect him.

James 2:21-23
"Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God’s friend."

My understanding of this passage:

Abraham's faith was perfected when he demonstrated it to God in this way.

Salvation is determined by faith alone, and demonstrated by faithfulness to obey God's will alone.

Your response:

So what are your thoughts about Abraham's test? Is your faith as strong as Abraham's? I can't imagine how hard that moment had to be for him. But I can only hope that my faith in God grows stronger daily.

 Disclaimer: These are just my thoughts and insights from my own time studying the Bible. I hope to encourage others to spend time reading the Bible every day. I am not trying to teach, instruct, or push my thoughts on others. Please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions.

Day 9: Step Back

This is Day 9 in my Daily Walk Journey. I'm following along with Your Daily Walk, by Bruce H. Wilkinson. Today, we took a break from our reading in Genesis to focus on an overview of The Abrahamic Covenant.

Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 8:6-12
Galations 3:6-9

Thanks to http://www.searchingthescriptures.net/main_pages/free_bible_clip-art.htm for this image.

Step Back:
God made a promise to Abraham regarding his future (Genesis 12). Then He made a covenant (Genesis 15, 17). He is a God of His word. After years passed with no son, Abraham was doubtful. So hd and Sarah took matters into their own hands and Abraham fathered a son through Sarah's maid, Hagar.

Look Up:
We have an advantage to keep our faith strong that Abraham and Sarah did not have. The Bible is filled with records of God's promises and His fulfillments. God always follows through on His promises.

Hebrews 8:6-12
"But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said:

“The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand  to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them," declares the Lord.

"This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

This is my understanding of the passage:

• This passage indicates a New Covenant. The old covenant was flawed. Israel did not keep the old covenant, and God did not care for them after.
• New Covenant: (When you become saved) God will put His laws in your mind and write them on our hearts. 
• He will be our God, and we are His people. 
• We will all know Him. 
• He will be merciful to our iniquities and remember our sins no more!

My prayer today:
Thank you, God, for your loving sacrifice. That you sent Your Son to die on the cross for my sins, that I may have a relationship with You and eternal life! Amen.


Move Ahead:
Galatians 3:6-9
"So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."

This is my understanding of the passage:

• As those who believe, we are children of Abraham and ineritors of his blessing!
• God intends for me to be a blessing to the world. 

Your response:
God intends for all of us to be a blessing to the world. Are you an encouragement for your family, friends, and coworkers? Are you showing them the way to our trustworthy God? These are all things I know I can personally work on. What are ways you can become more of a blessing to others? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Disclaimer: These are just my thoughts and insights from my own time studying the Bible. I hope to encourage others to spend time reading the Bible every day. I am not trying to teach, instruct, or push my thoughts on others. Please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions.

Day 8: Genesis 18-20

This is Day 8 in my Daily Walk Journey. I'm following along with Your Daily Walk, by Bruce H. Wilkinson. Today's reading was about The Destruction of Sodom.

Genesis 18: "Abraham Prays for Lot" (Lot Saved from Defilement)
Genesis 19: "God Destroys Sodom and Gomorrah" (Lot Saved from Defilement)
Genesis 20: "Abraham Lies about Sarah" (Sarah Saved from Defilement)
     
The heart of today's passage lies in Genesis 18.

Thanks to http://www.canvasreplicas.com/Tanner.htm for this image.

Overview:
Lot's life of compromise contrasts with Abraham's life of faith. God spares Lot when destroying his town because of Abraham's fervent prayers. Yet, even Abraham sometimes stumbles, when he lies and calls Sarah his sister to protect himself from harm. He believed that the men would want to take Sarah and would harm him to take her. But Abraham did not need to act on his own. God was already protecting him.


Daily Walk:
What is the most difficult miracle God could ever perform? List some ideas.

• Curing all disease
• World peace
• Raise someone from the dead
• Fix broken relationships
• Take away fear
• Erase hate

How do these miracles compare with God giving Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age?

• They are very similar. What God did was physically impossible, yet it happened. Strangely, everything I listed as difficult miracles exists in heaven. What a wonderful place!

If you could ask God for one miracle today, what would it be?

• To find fulfillment and contentment in my career, marriage, and my entire life.

Genesis 18:14 
"Is anything too difficult for the Lord?"

Your response:
What do you think? What would be the most difficult miracle God could ever perform? If you could ask God personally for one miracle today, what would you ask Him for?

Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear.

Disclaimer: These are just my thoughts and insights from my own time studying the Bible. I hope to encourage others to spend time reading the Bible every day. I am not trying to teach, instruct, or push my thoughts on others. Please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions.

Day 7: Genesis 15-17

This is Day 7 in my Daily Walk Journey. I'm following along with Your Daily Walk, by Bruce H. Wilkinson. Today's reading was about God's Covenant with Abraham.

Genesis 15: "Abrahamic Covenant Given" (Isaac Promised)
Genesis 16: "Abram's Impatience" (Ishmael Born)
Genesis 17: "Abrahamic Covenant Repeated" (Isaac Promised) v. 1-21
                    "Abraham's Obedience" (Ishmael's Blessing) v. 22-27

The heart of today's passage lies in Genesis 12:1-9 and Genesis 13:14-18.

Thanks to http://www.free-stories.net/children-bible-stories/old-testament-stories for this photo.

Overview:
God establishes a covenant with Abraham, confirms it with a treaty, repeats it, and seals it with the sign of circumcision. When years pass without fulfillment (Abraham fathering a son), Abraham becomes impatient. He has a son through Sarah's maid, Hagar, who he names Ishmael. Ishmael causes Abraham grief in later years and serves as a constant reminder of Abraham's lack of faith.

Daily Walk:
What fears paralyze me the most?

• Fear of Failure: After quitting my job as a nurse, and quitting graphic design after one semester (due to moving across the country), I am scared of going after the "wrong" career again. I don't want to feel like I fail, and I don't want to let anyone down.
• Fear of the Unknown: I have no idea where to turn in my career, when we'll ever be able to travel, when we'll have kids, when my husband will be able to leave his job and work for himself, how long we'll live here, or where we'll end up living long term.

Lesson:
Obey God's Will, and you will have the last amount of regrets. Trust God to lead you in the right direction.

My prayer today:
Dear God,
Please guide me to make the right decisions in my life. Give me wisdom and strength as I follow you. Please help me keep my faith strong in you, and trust that you have a plan for me.
Amen.

Disclaimer: These are just my thoughts and insights from my own time studying the Bible. I hope to encourage others to spend time reading the Bible every day. I am not trying to teach, instruct, or push my thoughts on others. Please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions.