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GENESIS 35 COVENANT PROMISE TO JACOB

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February 25

GENESIS 35

9 God appearedto Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel. – Genesis 35:9-15

GENESIS 35 COVENANT PROMISE TO JACOB

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When the Lord called Jacob to come back to Bethel

The Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel

He also reiterated to Jacob his covenant promise

The Lord passes on to Jacob his promise to Abraham and Isaac

He will be given the land that was promised to his offspring

So, Jacob called that place where God had spoken Bethel.

This place which was originally “Luz” was called Bethel by Jacob when he first laid his head on the stone and God showed himself to him for the first time. At this point, the Lord showed himself to Jacob again and reiterated his promise to his grandfather Abraham and to his father Isaac. Twelve tribes will be coming from his lineage who will bear kings from such offspring. God also promised Jacob that they will eventually own the land which is currently occupied by the Canaanites.

Once again, we see the Lord’s faithfulness in keeping his promise to his chosen people. Even though Abraham is gone already, the Lord comes to Jacob to remind him of the covenant promise he made to his grandfather.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God continued to keep his promise to Jacob’s offspring despite their revenge and slaughter of the Canaanites men?

GENESIS 31 LABAN’S SONS’ ENVY ON JACOB

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February 8

GENESIS 31

Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 

                                                                                             – Genesis 31:1-9

GENESIS 31 LABAN’S SONS’ ENVY ON JACOB

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA    

The sons of Laban began to envy Jacob’s prosperity

They slandered Jacob to their father out of jealousy

Because of this, Laban’s mind was poisoned

His regard for Jacob changed and Jacob saw this

He then met with his wives to discuss what’s going on

He explained to them how he honestly served their father.

It becomes a bone of contention when envy enters a person’s heart. The bible says in James 4:1-2 says “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passionsare at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.” Laban’s heart is not right with the Lord as he has cheated Jacob many times already. It is not surprising that his own sons would have that streak of jealousy as they watch Jacob’s wealth increase. Envy almost always lead to other sins. As James says in the mentioned verses, that it can lead to murder. Slandering Jacob is a form of murdering his good name. It leads to poisoning other people’s view of someone, a form of murdering their identity and character.

REFLECTION

  • How can slander or talking ill of someone be considered murder?

GENESIS 29 JACOB’S 7 YEARS DOWRY OFFER TO MARRY RACHEL

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February 1

GENESIS 29

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.  – Genesis 29:15-20

GENESIS 29 JACOB’S 7 YEARS DOWRY OFFER TO MARRY RACHEL

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

As soon as Laban knew Jacob was his kinsman

He sets out to get something from his relative Jacob

To ask Rachel’s hand, he offered 7 years of service for Laban

He didn’t think 7 years were too long since he loved Rachel so much

Laban also thought that it was better to marry off Rachel to him

Instead of giving her to be the wife of someone who wasn’t his own kin.

After Jacob had stayed a month with Laban, he must have worked hard to serve and earn his stay in their home. Even though at his home, Jacob had servants to serve him in Isaac’s household. They were wealthy. When he arrived at his uncle’s house, he had nothing much to offer since he was fleeing from his brother’s wrath and threat to his life. We see the integrity of Jacob’s heart to offer his services for seven years. That seems to me like a very generous gift for someone who was never a hired servant in his family of origin. His love for Rachel probably became the driving force for him to offer that dowry so Laban couldn’t refuse it, and he could finally marry his beloved Rachel.

In this account, we also get a character sketch of Laban. Since Jacob’s arrival a month ago, he must have seen how hard-working Jacob was. That’s why the offer for seven years of service for his daughter’s hand in marriage seemed profitable for him. He can scheme for a profitable venture and it seemed like this was one of those lucrative schemes. He had to grab the chance to get profit.

REFLECTION

·       What trait of Jacob and Laban can we surmise from this account?

GENESIS 25 GOD’S FULFILLMENT OF HIS PROMISE FOR ISHMAEL

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January 13

GENESIS 25

12 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel,

Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.)

18 They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settledover against all his kinsmen. – Genesis 25:12-18

GENESIS 25 GOD’S FULFILLMENT OF HIS PROMISE FOR ISHMAEL

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Despite Ishmael’s not growing up in Abraham’s sight as they were banished

God continued to fulfill his promise to Hagar that he will also be blessed

Ishmael bore twelve children namely Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Ketur, Naphish and Kedemah

Ishmael also lived long years of one hundred and thirty-seven years

He lived and died amongst his people in Havilah and Shur.

There were only a few accounts in the bible on Ishmael. In Genesis 16, we hear that Hagar bore Ishmael when Abraham was 86 years old. In Genesis 17 God promised Abraham that Ishmael will be blessed and fruitful and will multiply exceedingly and become the father of twelve princes and become a great nation. In Genesis 21, Hagar, Ishmael’s mother was banished by her mistress Sarah in the wilderness but God reassured Hagar that Ishmael will also be blessed. He grew up and lived there and became an archer. Ishmael lived in the wilderness of Paran and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Although Ishmael was blessed, he was not part of the covenant promise between Abraham and the Lord. It was in Isaac that God’s promise was to be fulfilled where kings will come from and the lineage of his only begotten Son would come from.

REFLECTION

  • How was it that even though Ishmael was the firstborn son of Abraham, the covenant promise wasn’t fulfilled in him?

GENESIS 21 GOD BLESSES ISHMAEL

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December 27

GENESIS 21

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.  – Genesis 21:15-21

GENESIS 21 GOD BLESSES ISHMAEL

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

As Hagar roamed the wilderness with her child, she was worried

They ran out of water supply and she panicked and watched Ishmael

She didn’t want to witness her own child die of hunger and thirst

So, she placed him under one of the bushes and sat nearby.

Hagar wept as she was filled with fear at their predicament

She called for help and pleaded heaven to save her beloved son

Then an angel of the Lord came and said God blesses Ishmael

He will make a great nation for he is also one of Abraham’s offspring.

What a helpless situation it was for Hagar to watch her son Ishmael wilt and die of thirst. She had no idea that God had a plan for Ishmael too even though they were banished in the wilderness by Sarah and Abraham. I feel for Hagar who was given as a surrogate for Sarah to bear children and later be sent away to die in the wilderness.

It is amazing how we can be desperate when we do not know God’s plan for our lives. Had she known the plan, she wouldn’t have been so fearful and helpless.

REFLECTION

  • Share a time in your life when you felt so desperate but was blessed by God later.

GENESIS 12 ABRAM DECIEVES PHAROAH

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November 25

GENESIS 12

10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. – Genesis 12:10-16

GENESIS 12 ABRAM DECEIVES PHARAOH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When a famine threatened Abram and his entire clan

He decided to use his wife’s beauty as a shield, that was his plan

Abram thought that because of Sarai’s exquisite beauty

He will be killed by the Egyptians and take Sarai as Pharoah’s wife.

To spare his own life, instead of trusting the Lord, he plotted

If he says to Pharoah that Sarai was his sister, he would be spared

And his plan worked because he was spared his own life

He was also treated well including his animals and servants.

In this story Abram was being threatened by famine as they were passing through Egypt. We witness another side of Abram that was not spoken of earlier. We know how obedient and trusting he was to follow God’s lead towards Canaan, the promised land. Because Abram is still human like all of us, his sinful nature is still inherent in him. The desperate need to save his entire clan, servants and animals was so imminent in this time of famine. He suddenly took upon himself to take care of the situation instead of continually trusting God. The deception worked because not only was he spared from being killed, he and his entire clan was also treated well by Pharoah.

REFLECTION

  • Share a time when you took matters into your hands instead of trusting God and the result of such act.

ECCLESIASTES 6 THE FUTILITY OF INSATIABLE DESIRES OF MAN

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September 18
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ECCLESIASTES 6
7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun? – Ecclesiastes 6:7-12
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ECCLESIASTES 6 THE FUTILITY OF INSATIABLE DESIRES OF MAN
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Most of our lives are spent to work so we can eat and be satisfied
Yet when we have consumed our foods, we still desire something else
We buy things that we think will give us happiness and pleasure
But all that we acquire end up being set aside later and unused.
We study hard so we can reach a level of knowledge that we can be esteemed
But the more we know, the more we aim more and the bigger our egos become
We speak more words so we can project a bigger image of ourselves
Not knowing that fools talk a lot more and wise people speak less words.
We like to be in control of things and of the lives of those whom we love
When we do not understand, we panic and do our best to make sense of it
We try to figure things out and pretend that we can control what’s happening
All the insatiable desires of man to be in control are all futile and pointless.
Without the fear of the Lord, no knowledge is beneficial to man
It is revering the Lord that eventually leads us to discover wisdom
All of man’s cravings for pleasure, knowledge and control are all futile
All these insatiable desires are the beginnings of sin that leads to death.
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REFLECTION
• How are human desires useless and considered a striving after wind?

1 PETER 2 A GRACIOUS THING IN GOD’S SIGHT

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July 7
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1 PETER 2
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
– 1 Peter 2:18-25
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1 PETER 2 A GRACIOUS THING IN GOD’S SIGHT
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
When Jesus Christ suffered all the abuses and rejection of mankind
He gave us an example of endurance and obedience that was one of a kind
Because of his Son’s great love for humans, he appeased God’s wrath
It was grace and mercy in bounty that saved all of the unworthy
Let us all remember how Jesus endured all the pain before his death
Will we be able to die for someone else’s place who isn’t deserving?
When you suffer for the sake of love, you are doing a gracious thing
What grace is it if you give your other cheek instead of retaliating!
When you do the right thing and be misunderstood for it
It is an occasion to reap a harvest of reward from Him
Continue to emulate Jesus and you will do good in God’s sight
Be gracious to others as he gave you mercy and a new life.
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REFLECTION
• What did verse 23 meant when it said “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly”? Can we do this?

PSALM 132 UNTIL GOD IS WORSHIPPED AND HE DWELLS IN US

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March 21
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PSALM 132
Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the LORD and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!”
8 Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
– Psalm 132:1-10
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PSALM 132 UNTIL GOD IS WORSHIPPED AND HE DWELLS IN US
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
In the midst of life, am I prioritizing the worship of my Lord?
Or am I so enmeshed and distracted by the systems of the world?
Does my heart and mind seek him first in all that I say and do?
Or am I constantly engrossed with selfish pursuits and idols?
Deliver me Lord from the sin that easily crops up in me
I have this tendency to make my life comfortable and easy
Take it away from me, so I can live to serving you only
Keep my eyes focused on your truth so that I can be holy.
I will not stop until you increase and I decrease
Remind me that I am strong especially in my weakness
Let me praise and glorify your holy name all of my life
Never let me be oppressed by the enemy, give me light.
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REFLECTION
• What traits of David was clearly displayed in this psalm?
• Why is it important for us to seek God first in all things?

PSALM 119 AN UNDERSTANDING ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD

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March 7
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PSALM 119
169 Let my cry come before you, O LORD;
give me understanding according to your word!
170 Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word.
171 My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your word, all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments.
– Psalm 119:169-176
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PSALM 119 AN UNDERSTANDING ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Praise the Lord for giving us his wisdom through his word
Without it, we will grow weary, confused, burdened and tired
Let me declare your precepts day and night so I can stay in your light
Hold my tongue from using it to bring forth death; instead let it bring life.
Whenever I rely on my own understanding, I fail to walk in love
But when I meditate on your word, I learn to give grace
Give me an understanding according to your word
Help me never to be drawn to this very corrupt world.
Be ready to give me aide when I am in distress and anxious
Prod me to run to your word so the enemy’s tactics will be exposed
Let me live to praise you alone and build up the body of Christ
Glory be to you my Lord, for you are the source and giver of life.
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REFLECTION
• How has the word of God made you see things differently?
• Why is it important to meditate on his word day and night according to Joshua 1:8?