Genesis 32:22-31; Psalm 17:1-7,15 Back in Genesis 28 we had the account of Jacob’s ladder. Today in chapter 32 we have Jacob wrestling with a “man” who he later declares to be God. Jacob is seen as the aggressor here since when the “man” asks him to let go Jacob refuses unless the “man” blesses him. This request shows that Jacob saw this to be no ordinary man. He is then being told that his name will be changed to Israel since he has struggled with God and with humans and has prevailed. Again, this is another hint that this man must be God. Yet the man will not tell him his name but does finally bless him. Then Jacob declares, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life is preserved - saved.” A reminder of this encounter will always be the limp he has been given being struck on the hip. Psalms 17 is a prayer for deliverance from persecution. David the author gives the account of how faithful he has been with no deceitful lips and no wickedness to be found in him. This shows th...

 Psalm 105:1-11, Romans 8:26-39 Psalms 105 is a call to worship worshipping God for the Lord’s mighty acts. It recounts Israel’s history from Abraham to the settlement in Canaan. The Psalmist shows great trust that the covenant God made to Abraham will come true. Though times can get rough the Psalmist says to seek the Lord and God’s strength and also to seek his presence continually. Romans 8 talks about the new covenant of love. God has done the ultimate of giving up God’s son to die on the cross in our place to bring salvation. This is shown as the ultimate gift of love. As Paul puts it, “If God is for us who can be against us.” Another gift God has given us is the Holy Spirit who helps us in our weakness. When we don’t know how to pray the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Also interceding for us is Jesus who knows first hand how it is to be human. The famous verse 28 tells about how despite present suffering, believers trust that God will bring ...

 Genesis 28:10-19, Romans 8:12-25 Our Old Testament reading is the famous story of Jacob’s ladder. It tells of the dream Jacob has of a ladder ascending into heaven with angels. This shows God’s presence in a time of Jacob’s suffering. He is on the run from his brother Esau. God speaks to him and lists the promises given to Abraham saying that now Jacob is the heir to these covenant promises. The Lord assures him that God is with him and will not leave until God has done what the Lord has promised. Jacob is comforted by the realization of surely the Lord is in this place. Seeing God and hearing these promises gives Jacob great faith and hope. In Romans we are told how we have been adopted by God. We are not only children of God but due to this we are God’s heirs also. Due to this we can cry, “Abba Father.” The word “abba” represents a deeply personal trusting relationship with God. Jesus as our brother is a joint heir and if we suffer with him we may also be glorified with him....

Psalm 119:105-112, Romans 8:1-11 In Psalm 119 the psalmist talks about following God’s word like a lamp to his feet. He swears to observe righteous ordinances and to not forget God’s law. God’s decrees are considered his heritage and joy of his heart. He inclines his heart to perform God’s statues forever. The word incline means leaning and having a tendency toward a specific thought or action. The psalmist action here is to live up to God’s law. Romans, however, tells how difficult it was to live by the law since it is weakened by the flesh. Paul says God dealt with this problem by sending Jesus, God’s only son to die for our sinful natures. In this way the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us if we walk according to the Spirit, therefore setting their minds not on the sinful flesh but on the things of the Spirit. When we belong to God we have the Spirit which is life because of righteousness. Having the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead live in you, G...

 Matthew 11:16-19,25-30; Romans 7:15-25 Jesus in Matthew 11 is bemoaning the Jews – especially the Pharisees who would not believe in him. They said that John the Baptist must have a demon. Jesus, the Son of Man, who did what they cried for – dance but when he came eating and drinking he was seen as a glutton, drunkard and a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Jesus then gives thanks to God that the uneducated saw Christ for who he was – a reflection of God – while the “wise” Pharisees has it hidden from them. Then comes a familiar verse: “Come to me those who are weary and carrying the heavy yoke of the law.” Yoke here is a metaphor for the law. But Christ’s grace is an easy yoke and his burden is light. Paul in Romans 7 talks about the inner conflict he has between wanting to do what is right yet doing what he hates. He talks about the sin that lies in him in his flesh. When he wants to do good, evil lies close at hand making him do what he does not want. He tells about t...

 Matthew 10: 24-32, Romans 6: 12-23 Matthew 10 has Jesus talking about a slave being like its master. He mentions those whose master is Beelzebul who is a demonic presence attributed to Satan, the ruler of all sin and evil. They are told not to fear those who can only do damage to the body and not the soul. They are to fear God who can destroy both body and soul in hell. In contrast to being a slave to sin and Satan, we are to have Christ as our master. Everyone who acknowledges Christ, he will acknowledge them to God the Father. Yet if you deny him and have sin and evil as your master, Jesus will deny you to the Father. In Romans Paul tells us about the freedom we have from the law and how grace has forgiven our sins. However, some took this as a “Get Out of Hell” card and continued to live in sin. Paul after stating how we are now under grace raises the question, “Shall we sin so that grace may abound?” To which he gives a very bold answer, “By no means!” He tells how the...