Sunday, 1/11/2014

The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves. ~ William Penn

GENESIS 27, 28

Rebekah realizes Isaac wants to bless Esau and so she sends for Jacob and devises a scheme for him to trick Esau out of the blessing from Isaac.  Once the blessing is given, Esau unknowingly approaches and both he and Isaac are horrified when they realize they have been duped.  Esau begins to make plans to kill Jacob and so Rebekah warns him and sends him on his way to her hometown to find a wife.  On his way Jacob has a dream and God speaks to him.  Upon waking up he makes a vow.

"If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."

MATTHEW 9:18-38

Jesus exhibits power over death, darkness, muteness and disease.  In each of the circumstances Jesus affirms that it is faith that is the source of power. 

• Take heart, daughter...your faith has healed you. (22)
• According to your faith it will be done to you  (29)

JOURNAL

Family drama and sibling rivalry has been going on since the beginning of time.  Why am I so perplexed when my boys fight?  The reality is that it's all part of who we are and it is very well entrenched in our lives.  If it is not in our family, then it is in our work or our friendships etc.  We scrape and manipulate in order to try and somehow get more blessing than our nearest competitor.  

The cure to all is to realize that all that we are scrambling to get is really the blessing that Christ provides.

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:14)