Prayer

In Genesis 35:1-15, Jacob decided to firmly follow God and praise Him for His sovereignty. Omartian asks the following question in the beginning of this study, "The Power of Praise":  "How often do you take the time to remember what God has done for you and thank Him for it?" We shouldn't come to God just to ask something of Him. He is not a genie who grants wishes. We are not to come to Him only for help in less-than-fortunate circumstances. Sounds like a one-way love to me. Perhaps you are married. Imagine only ever asking your spouse for things but never expressing your thankfulness toward him or your love for him. Imagine if he was the only one to express his love for you. Would that be fair? Of course it wouldn't. Jacob loved God enough to rid his family of false gods and to take the time to build an altar solely for Him, to recognize His goodness though undeserved. How amazing is God's love! It is unconditional. That's certainly worth praising God for! He sacrificed His life for us so that we could be free, a choice not to be taken for granted. A love expressed through our Maker is a love no human being will ever understand. Remember, God deserves our praise!

Prayer

The whole reason I created this blog was to learn more about God and to allow Him to transform my life; the first, I blelieve most important, area in my life that desperately needs transformation is prayer. I do not come to God in prayer nearly as often as I should. Sometimes, when an unexpected and negative circumstance erupts, I immediately lean on my own understanding. I try to conquer the situation on my own. This is impossible! It's not until after everything has passed that I realize I didn't consult the LORD, never once asked for His help and guidance. This next study is titled "Struggling in Prayer", and the verses to read and consider are Genesis 32:1-32. In this passage, a "man" wrestles with Jacob. This encounter left Jacob's hip out of joint. The phrase "for I have seen God face to face" leads me to believe that the man who wrestled with Jacob was indeed the preincarnate Christ. Believing this, "God allowed Himself to be overcome" (Nelson King James Study Bible, p.68). Before this encounter, Jacob was afraid for his future and his family's. He was about to meet his brother Esau whose birthright he had stolen many years prior by deceiving his father. During the struggle, God asked Jacob what his name was, and Jacob told Him; this answer is what Omartian calls a confession because the name Jacob means "supplanter" or "usurper", to illegally seize or hold the power or rights of another. This confession led God to bless Jacob and offer him a new name, Israel, which means Prince of God. The limp that Jacob possessed after the encounter was a lifetime reminder of Jacob's struggle, a struggle that deepened his dependence on the one true God. Omartian says, "Don't be afraid to struggle in prayer, knowing that God will use any measures necessary in order to carry out His plans for your life. Like Jacob, hang on and don't give up until you get the blessing that will change you forever." 

Prayer

Topic today is "[Calling] on the Name of the LORD". The verses to read are 17 through 25 of Genesis 26. Before this passage of Scripture, Isaac had lied to Abimelech, king of the Philistines. Isaac told the Philistines Rebekah was his sister because he feared her beauty would give the men reason to kill him. One day, however, Abimelech looked out a window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah. He knew then that Rebekah was his wife and made the following decree:  "He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death" (Genesis 26:11). It was after this decree that Isaac prospered, so much so that the Philistines asked him to leave, so he did. In retaliation of such tremendous prosperity on Isaac's part, the Philistines filled the wells "which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father" (Genesis 26:16). After Isaac left, his servants digged in the valley of Gerar and found a well of running water; however, the herdmen of Gerar refused to give this well to Isaac and so claimed it as their own. Again, they digged another, and was denied that one as well. On his third try, however, he was able to claim a well; it was this well he named Rehoboth, which means spaciousness. After this successful attempt, Isaac traveled to Beersheba, where the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of Abraham thy father:  fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake." Stressed again through His Word, the LORD kept His promise to Abraham. Isaac then built an altar and "called upon the name of the LORD". Omartian emphasizes the meaning of calling upon the name of the LORD. When I read this phrase, I immediately think of prayer, but it's much more than that. It is recognizing God's goodness and His ability to perform far beyond that which we could ever imagine. Calling upon the name of the LORD is not just asking; it's trusting Him to do that which He desires for you. The LORD deserves praise. Omartain ends her study with these words:  "Praise God every day for all the ways that He is sufficient for every need you have, and like Isaac, declare your faithfulness to Him by calling on His name in prayer."