January Day 11

Genesis 27-28 - Jacob's journey is a journey of struggle.  In the womb he struggled and was born grasping the heel of his brother and was given the name "heal grabber" which also could mean deceiver, schemer, liar.  He was different from his brother, yet desired what was rightfully his brothers.  He deceived to get the blessing that belonged to his brother, and the result was he had to go live with his uncle.  He got what he wanted but didn't even get to stay around and enjoy it.  Not only that, his brother wanted to kill him.  Here is a principle - deception destroys relationships.  Truth, even difficult truth, is better than deception.  
Esau wanted to kill his brother for what he did, but there is a principle in the blessing that Isaac gave to Esau.  He told him that he would live and die by the sword, and essentially that life would be a struggle.  It is a picture of a person who is angry and frustrated and lacks peace.  I've been there. Maybe you have been too.  Maybe you are there now.  But then Isaac says something that we must realize - he says - when you choose to break free - you will shake free from the yoke of Jacob - meaning you will find freedom from what your brother did to you.  Until you choose to forgive, you will continue to be angry, frustrated, and lack peace.  The situation will continue to control you.  You may feel like it isn't fair to forgive, but I would say it isn't far to yourself not to.  Let it go and trust God.  

Jacob experienced God in his dream, but was not ready to make God his God.  He said that if he returns safely to his fathers house, then God would be his God and in return he would worship him and give him a tenth (a tithe) of everything that God gave to him.  This was not in response to a law, but in response to their relationship.  His tithe was to acknowledge that God was his God and that all that he had came from God.  

Psalm 11 - says the wicked like to take shots at people from the shadows.  They like to try to destroy character, reputation, joy, and peace from the darkness.  First - don't be that person because it says God hates those who love violence.  Second - trust God's Justice - he will destroy the wicked

Matthew 5:13-20 - We are called to be salt by living in such a way that stirs people's appetite for the Gospel, and to be light that exposes the lies of the darkness, so people can experience and see truth.  Jesus didn't come to get rid of the truth God has already revealed, but to be the solution to the problem that the truth exposed.  That problem is that no one can be good enough on their own - they need Jesus because the "law", the truth about what is right and wrong, is impossible for anyone to follow perfectly.

Acts 7:1-38 - Stephen builds the case for Jesus as the messiah by connecting Jesus to the promise made to Abraham.  For people who knew the stories of the old testament, Stephen was helping them see how the dots connected.