Believe, understand, be free!

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post in the archives, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. As you read, I encourage you to add in any reflections or comments you may have.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will

Thursday, February 11, 2010
Devotions: Ps 85, 86, 146, 147; Gen 27:30-45; Rom 12:9-21; Jn 8:21-32

Lord, You have favored your land and people; You have pardoned our sins and turned from Your righteous wrath. Restore us again, O God our Savior. Revive us, Lord, that we may rejoice in You. Show us Your steadfast love; let me hear whatever You will say; speak peace over me, I pray. Surely Your salvation is at hand for all who fear You. Let our faith respond to Your righteousness, great Lord. Gladden my soul, O Lord; hear and answer my supplications. There is no other God. Teach me Your ways, YHWH, that I may walk in truth; heal my heart to fear Your name. I thank You, Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify Your name forever. Great is Your steadfast love, gracious and merciful Lord. Put my enemies to shame, and comfort me with Your blessing. Let my soul praise YHWH; no trust in princes or mortals; God is my Helper; my hope is in YHWH my God, Maker of heaven and earth, Who keeps faith and executes justice. He frees prisoners, feeds the hungry, gives sight to the blind and lifts up the downhearted. He watches over pilgrims, widows and orphans, and brings the wicked to ruin. YHWH will reign for ever. Hallelu Yah! God numbers and names every star. His power is immense, His understanding beyond measure. And this infinite God cares for every one, lifting up the downtrodden and casting down the arrogant and wicked. Let us make melody to Him, Who takes pleasure in those who fear only Him and who hope in His steadfast love. God is our Peacemaker, and Master of all. Praise the Lord!

Right after Jacob had received Isaac’s blessing in his place, Esau arrived from his hunting, with the wild game he had prepared at his father’s request. The two men realized that Jacob had deceived Isaac and stolen Esau’s blessing. Esau begged his father to bless him, too. But Isaac said, ‘Your brother came with guile and he has taken away your blessing.’ Esau bitterly observed, ‘Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times—he took away my birthright, and now he has stolen my blessing. Please, father, have you no blessing for me?’ Isaac replied, ‘Look, I have made him your lord; I have blessed him with servants, grain and wine in plenty.’ Finally, Isaac blessed Esau in this way: ‘Behold, you will dwell far from the riches of the earth; you will live by your sword and serve your brother. But when you break loose, you shall break his yoke from your neck and get free.’ Esau hated Jacob, and planned to kill his brother whenever the days of mourning Isaac’s death should come. Rebekah heard of Esau’s intention, and sent Jacob away, to stay with her brother, his uncle Laban, in Haran of Mesopotamia. She said, ‘Stay with him until your brother’s fury subsides; then I will send for you. Why should I lose both my husband and my son in one day?’ And Rebekah maneuvered Isaac into sending Jacob to Laban, before Esau could kill his brother.

Paul outlined some of the believer’s duties: Love genuinely; hat what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Stay zealous, aglow with God’ Spirit, and serve God. Rejoice in your hope; be patient in affliction, constant in prayer. Support the saints and practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, rather than cursing them. Rejoice with all who rejoice; weep with those who mourn. Live in harmony with other Christians; don’t be haughty, but associate freely with the lowly. Never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil; take thought to do what is noble in the sight of all. As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Never take vengeance; leave that to God, Who will repay as He sees fit. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. Doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Don’t let evil overcome you; rather, overcome evil with good!

Jesus told His Jewish antagonists, ‘I Am going away, and you will seek Me but die in your sin; for where I am going, you cannot come.’ The Jews wondered if this meant that Jesus intended to commit suicide. He said to them, ‘You are from below; I Am from above; you are from this world, I Am not. I told you that you would die in your sins, and you will, unless you believe that I Am He.’ They kept ignoring what Jesus told them. ‘Who are you?’ they asked Him. He answered, ‘I Am even What I have toldyhou from the beginning. I have much to say about you, and much to judge; but He Who sent Me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from Him’ They didn’t understand that Jesus was speaking of the Father, the One they said was their God. So Jesus went on, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will discover that I Am He, and that I do nothing on My own authority but speak thus just as the Father taught me. And He Who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to Him.’ And many who hear this put their faith in Jesus. To the Jews who believed in Him, Jesus said, ‘If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.’