Genesis 27-29; Psalms 51-52

Assigned Reading: Genesis 27-29; Psalms 51-52

Psalms –

Chapter 51 – The psalmist cried out for God’s great mercy, because he was faced with his sin. When we sin against God, there is nowhere to hide from the sin or its consequences, or from God. We need to become like the psalmist who runs to God, and confesses his sin. Not only does he rely on God’s mercy, he prays fervently for a big change to take place in his heart.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; restore within me a sense of being brand new. Do not throw me far away from Your presence, and do not remove Your Holy Spirit from me. Give back to me the deep delight of being saved by You; let Your willing Spirit sustain me (vv. 10-12, VOICE).

What sacrifice I can offer You is my broken spirit because a broken spirit, O God, a heart that honestly regrets the past, You won’t detest (vv. 17)

Chapter 52 – God’s unfailing love is what truly lasts. His love outshines every good and bad deed we will see on this earth. Not only is His love unfailing, we are reminded how perverse the heart can become, seeking only to be evil. While we could be like these wicked people, we have something they don’t – Someone they refuse: Jesus Christ, our Shield and the One True God. He gives us Himself, and shows us what His love is really like. And His love changes us completely, as we begin to enjoy sweet fellowship with King Jesus.

Genesis –

Chapter 27

Jacob stole Esau’s blessing, and this was a crafty decision that was not only premeditated but also one with many consequences. It would take years for reconciliation to occur between Jacob and Esau. The moment Jacob stole Esau’s blessing, he was on the run. Today, there are many families who face divisions like this. As a result of a decision, one of betrayal, there is a great separation between family members. The fleshly desires are not worth the devastating effect it has on families and other relationships.

Chapter 28

While Jacob deceived his father, Isaac still spoke tenderly to him and guided him in the direction he should go. Not only did Isaac guide Jacob, more importantly God spoke directly to Jacob and told him of his future. This would offer much encouragement to a weary soul, pondering his fate.

 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you (28:15, NIV).

Chapter 29 –

Rachel was a shepherdess. She carried the important task of caring for her father’s sheep. As we think about Rachel and her particular responsibility, we are reminded of her importance. Without due diligence, she might lose some of her sheep. I am reminded of how God calls some of His daughters to be a shepherdess. We are called to care for God’s people, giving them much attention, and loving them diligently (see 1 Peter 5). It is an important job. We know it’s important to note Rachel’s work responsibility, because it is mentioned in God’s precious Word!

 

Genesis 16-18; Psalms 41-42

Assigned Reading: Psalms 41-42; Genesis 16-18

Psalms –

Chapter 41 – God deeply cares for the weak. The Father has an overflow of compassion for us – who are weak. This is such a tender passage of Scripture, that shows us the heart of God. It is a Psalm to be cherished. It shows us how God acts toward the needy, as He protects, preserves, sustains, and restores. Thank You Lord for Your mercy and the way You care for me!

But may you have mercy on me, Lord; raise me up, that I may repay them. I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen (vv. 10-13).

Chapter 42 – Our souls are crying out in longing for our great God. Even when we run away from Him, our souls crave God. Thankfully, He doesn’t give up on us, and continues to pursue us. Our hearts seek after the fulfillment that only He can give. He is the One who offers us the hope that changes everything. Our hope is in God, and we have to reach a place of meeting with Him.

How are we setting aside a time and place to daily meet with Jesus to remember who He is, what He has done, and how He wants to meet us and work in our daily lives?

Genesis –

Just some bullet points today, about the reading in Genesis.

→ Sarah clearly did not trust God or His promise. She didn’t even acknowledge the promise in her conversation with her husband regarding using Hagar to have a child (Gen 16).

→ God called Hagar to return to Sarah and submit to her. In God meeting with Hagar, He showed her that He: saw her and would provide for her – even though she was a foreigner (Gen. 16).

→ God continues to remind Abraham of the covenant He has with him. Abraham fell on his face and worshipped God. He truly believed God and what He said (Gen. 17).

→ God states that Sarah will bear a son. Abraham laughed out of disbelief, due to his age (Ishmael was much older at this time), so he asked (or insisted) that Ishmael receives the fruit of the covenant. God was intentional and had his heart set on Isaac. Isaac would receive all the blessings of the first born, even though he was the second. God didn’t want any substitute for His plans. He made sure of it. Abraham and Sarah went their own way, but it was no replacement for God’s plans! (Gen. 17)

→ I can understand why Sarah laughed at the thought of having a son at such an advanced age. If I heard God say something deeply woven into my heart’s desire after such a long wait, I would too. I would be caught in unbelief (Gen. 18).

Sacrificial Love Affects the Family

This post is from last year’s study, but I wanted to go ahead and share it anyway – because it just really hit home for me. Perhaps for you too.

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Sacrificial love affects the family. Through the Word of God, we learn the sacrificial love greatly affects the family. Not only does sacrificial love affect the family, it is why we have a spiritual family in the first place.

Jesus Christ has come to forgive us of all our sins, call us His sons and daughters, and invite us to be a part of His great family!

Sacrificial Love…

This is not something that we only hear about. It is something we also see. When we have family that offers us sacrificial love, it leaves a permanent impact on our lives.

What Kind of Love?

Sacrificing the kind of love we give – means laying down our lives. Maybe, our time, own wants, or the plans we had for our day or possibly life. What kind of love do we often give to others?

Loving Like Jesus

In Luke (6:32-36), we are reminded that Jesus wants us to not only love when it is easy. We are called to even love the difficult-to-love. This kind of love is what sets us apart from the nonbeliever.

Love He Has Shown

For the follower of Jesus Christ, we have been given a tremendous amount of grace. Jesus Christ, Himself, has come and shown us what sacrificial love is.

“But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us (Romans 5:8).”

Love We Can Give

We can love, because He first loved us (see 1 Jn. 4:19). It is because of Jesus Christ that we can love others. We can love others and give of ourselves. And, we can have the strength and resolve to love with a cost. Because of who it is living, breathing, and working in us. And, His name is Jesus Christ! He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Costly Love

We love with a cost, because this is what makes an impact. As it leaves its affect on others, it affects… even changes us in the process.

How are we choosing to love with a cost?

We love with a cost, by choosing to not just love when it is easy. We choose to love and be present when it is perhaps the easiest to walk away.

In Ephesians 5:25-33, we are reminded of what God says to us, His dearly loved, as He invites us to dive into deeper love.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless].

Even so husbands should love their wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, Because we are members (parts) of His body.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. [Gen. 2:24.]

This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church. However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly] [I Pet. 3:2.] (Ephesians 5:25‭-‬33 AMP).”

Matthew 9: The Compassion of Jesus

Read Matthew 9:9-38

A Willing Man

After Jesus heals this man and handles the criticism of the Pharisees, He meets Matthew. A tax collector. A despised tax collector. The religious saw this man and those like him as someone who was dirty. “Is he really going to eat with them?” This is what sets Jesus apart.

Jesus is not someone who is afraid of our dirtiness!

Jesus has never been afraid to even touch a leaper. Why would a tax collector make Him shy away from the Father’s Will.

I want to courage of Jesus.

“God, make me much more bold than I have a tendency of being…”

I love how the Voice translation words what is happening right here between the Pharisees and Jesus. He redirects them right back to the Scriptures they would have known and studied. He is reminding them of the eternal truth.

This is why Jesus came. He came for us. He came for the broken. He came for the dirty. He came for sinners like you and me.

“Look, who needs a doctor—healthy people or sick people?
I am not here to attend to people who are already
right with God; I am here to attend to sinners. In the book of
the prophet Hosea, we read, “It is not sacrifice I want, but
mercy.” Go and meditate on that for a while—maybe
you’ll come to understand it (vv. 12-13).”

Jesus proves this truth repeatedly in the New Testament. Read Matthew 9:18-38, and you will get just a glimpse of this.

The Joyful Healing

There is no better way to describe what happens in a person’s spirit when they call upon the name of the Lord and experience His healing. It doesn’t matter if it is physical, emotional, or spiritual healing. The inward change is the same: Absolute joy! How do you stand in need of His healing touch today?

Just in this small portion, we are reminded of quite a few number of families that are forever changed! For the full list, visit Matthew 9:18-33 found in your Bible. Stories like this one, where Jesus drives out the demons and a mute man may speak – leaving the crowd in utter amazement (see vv. 33).

We know the heart of our Savior. He is the One who utterly cares. Even when we are at our worst, He is at His best!

“Whenever crowds came to Him, He had compassion for
them because they were so deeply distraught, malaise,
and heart-broken. They seemed to Him like
lost sheep without a shepherd (vv. 36).”

At This Point…

Jesus directs His disciples to the position they should take. To pray. Jesus instructed His disciples to pray that God would send more workers. There are plenty who stand in need, but no one to go to them. Like the Pharisees, we want to keep our distance. But, Jesus calls us to GO! We need to begin in prayer. “Lord, send the right workers – so others know You and the power You hold!”