We Pray

28 Day Devotional, Day 9:

Prayer For Understanding His Condescending Love

In various scriptures, it says God treated Abraham (2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23) and Moses (Exodus 33:11) each as a friend and talked to them as a friend would. Jesus called His disciples His friends (John 15). When God treats us as His friends, He also acts as our friend and He will reveal His plan to us as our friend.

It is not because we are worthy, but it is because of His condescending love. God condescended himself that we can draw ourselves closer to Him. Abraham knows it. He respected God’s majesty. Abraham admits that he is nothing but dust and ashes as he stands before the Lord (Genesis 18:27). Prayers in humility increase our appreciation of God.

Prayer: Father Lord, thank you for calling us your children and friends. It is not because we are worthy, but because you love us so much and lower yourself to draw us close to you. Father Lord, help us to humble ourselves so that we will know how wide and how high your love is. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Genesis 18:17 KJV
And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

We Pray

28 Day Devotional, Day 8:

Prayer For Understanding That God Is Love And Just

When people see or encounter suffering, they will question where God is. Has God heard of their cries? But we know that God heard Abel’s blood cry (Genesis 4:10), God heard of Israel’s cries (Exodus 2:24-25). He also saw and knew their needs. God came down from heaven and delivered them and swept the wicked away (Genesis 18:22).

Today, God hears the people’s cries who are victimized. God is love and also just too. His judgment will come. God is not really being slow about His promise as some people think, but He is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but wants everyone to repent. God provided us Jesus Christ for salvation and the Holy Spirit for comforting.

Prayer: Thank you, Father Lord, for hearing our cries and comforting us. Thank you for being slow to anger and for your love that you sent your only son to die on the cross for our sins, so that we who believe in Christ will have eternal life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Genesis 18:20 KJV

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous

Going through the Bible a chapter a day.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2038&version=KJV

Welcome to Sunday where I review the chapters shared this past week leading into today’s chapter.

In chapter 32 you see Jacob prepares to meet his brother Esau. My Bible states that it could have been an act of restitution and reconciliation with Esau. Verses 28-30 Jacob receives a new name. Israel means either “God Strives” or “he strives with God”. The place where Jacob receives his new name is called Peniel, means “thr face of God”.

In chapters 33-35 you see where Jacob receives a warm welcome by his brother. God tells him to go to Bethel instead goes the opposite way to near Shechem. Certain terrible circumstances takes place in thime he spends there such as what happens to his daughter Dinah is raped and the brothers seek their own revenge against them for what the have done. Jacob learns what they have done and now fears for his life and home.

In chapter 35 you see Jacob returns to Bethel as God instructs him to and builds an altar there. Verses 16-20 Rachel’s death is recorded. Rachel who longed for a child, dies bearing her second son. She gives him the name Ben-oni which can mean “son of my sorrow” ; but Jacob gives him the name Benjamin, which means “the son of my right hand.” In verses 27-29 Jacob and Esau burried their father.

In chapter 36 it names the generations of Esau or better translate descendants of Esau. Esau descendants are known as kings and dukes while Jacob’s sons remain shepherds for generations.

In chapter 37 we come to the story of Joseph. Joseph is one of 12 sons of Jacob known as Israel. Jacob reports the evil for which his brothers are doing.

Verse 3 Jacob’s favoritism signified by the colorful tunic he gives his favortie son. The coat of many colora comes from the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The tunic sets Joseph apart as the favorite one. Verse 5-11 Joseph shares his dreams with his brothers and the hated him for the dreams.

Here we see futher into the chapter that the brothers about from Reuben plan to kill their brother. Reuben ask them not to do so or lay harm on him. They sell their brother Joseph for 20 pieces of silver. (Side note: One other person was sold for money and that was Jesus. He was sold for 30 pieces of silver).

The brothers killed a kid (goat) and dipped the coat in the blood to bring back to the father to convince him his son Joseph is dead. They lied to him and he did not know he was sold for he believed them upon seeing the coat. Israel (Jacob) refused to be conforted and vowed to grieve till the day he dies.

In chapter 38 is a mountain of a mole hill. Judah has son’s with Shuah the first is Er who is so wicked is slayed by God. Before that Judah finds him a wife named Tamar. Then as customary his second son Onan marries his brother’s widow. Onan is then slayed for what he has done as it displeased the Lord. Judah then tells her to go to her father’s house till his last son is old enough to marry her lest he die also. Tamar notes her father-in-law is in near and decieves him and he lies with her. This leads to him wanting to burn her having learn what she has done but she is pregnant by him.

Together Tamar and Judah have twins called Pharez “a breach” or “one who breaks through” Pharez becomes rhe ancestor of David who becomes the ancestor of Jesus Christ. Zarrah means “a dawning or brightness.” The struggle between the twins at birth is reminiscent to the struggle of Jacob and Esau, Judah’s father and uncle.

All information shared is found in my Bible The KJV Cross Reference Study Bible. As well as Bible verses having read through the Bible. Amazing to see how one decision can cause a ripple affect. The Bible is amazong to see that even those we love to study about struggled with the flesh and obeying God. It’s by His grace and Mercy we are free. We will never be perfect but we can be saved from our sins by turning to the one who can save us.

Will meet you back here again next Sunday after another week of studying God’s word. I can’t wait to see where we venture into and what the Lord will reveal in this chapters.

God bless you and your loved ones.

We Pray

28 Day Devotional, Day 7:

The Tent Of Meeting

Moses needed wisdom to lead the Israelites as well as to judge them and settle their disputes. Moses’ source of wisdom was God himself, and he had a specific place to go to meet with God – the tent of meeting. And the Bible tells us that every time he came out of the tent of meeting his face shone – because of having been in the presence of God.

What about us – do we receive our guidance to lead others from God? Do we spend time with God in a meaningful manner so that we actually encounter Him in each meeting, and even if our faces do not shine when we come out of those meetings, our hearts are ablaze with the knowledge of just having had an encounter with God himself? He is our wisdom and our guide.

Prayer: Lord God, let us look to you for wisdom to lead and guide us. Let us spend time to meet you and let each of these meetings be a real encounter so that at the end of our time with you, we know in our hearts that we have met with you and you have spoken to us. Let us have the ‘tent of meeting’ experience that Moses had when we pray to you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Exodus 33:7-9 KJV
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.