Image from ignitermedia.com
View yesterday's video: https://bit.ly/3NWoNDi
Hear today's devo:https://bit.ly/3DjDA5T.
Today's video: https://bit.ly/3Y048Tt
10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” 18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel. (Genesis 28:10-19a NIV Bible)
A blessed Wednesday to you dear Friend. I trust this finds you well and enjoying God's rich blessings flowing freely into your life. I pray this arrive as a fresh dose of God's love into your life. Please know that God though of you to create you as a one and only! You matter to God, and you matter to me; so make the most of that as you bless God and God's pepple. Prayers for this old man as this is the time of year I get re-certified to sell Medicare Advantage plans. So, last night I took the review and review exams and this morning I aced the exam! But pray for the other re-certifications I have to do with insurance companies that will allow me to sell their products. Last night at 1:30 I finished writing and narrating my devotional. I read the date on my computer and since it was after midnight I saw it was the 18th so I said it was the 19th, which it wasn't. And that's also why you didn't get the video of that devotional until right now, unlless of course, if you've subscribed to my YouTube channel and then you got notification that the video was ready.
We catch up with Jacob today. Jacob was the grandson of Father Abraham and the son of Isaac and Rebekah. His was an interesting life that began right at birth when he was a twin who grabbed the foot of his older brother, Esau and thus began yet another long squablle among brothers. Today's episode finds him on the run. He feared Esau and sought refuge in Harran. It was a long journey and he stops for the night. There was no Motel Six in those days and this was more of a Motel Sticks, that featured memory stone pillows. As tired as he was, and I feel as I write, he lay his head to sleep. And he had an incredible dream. We have to admit the Bible hardly contains any, if any, dull dreams. This was one of those awesome dreams. He saw a staircase, some versions called it a ladder, like the song, "We are climbing Jacob's ladder - every rung goes higher, higher." (You're welcome to those who will say "You stuck that ear worm in my head and I keep singing it." This staircase rested on the earth and its top reached heaven, and he saw the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And just above that stairway stood God who declares to Jacob, what his grandfather heard from God first, "Your descendents will be like the dust of the earth, and they will spread even to the west and east, and to the north and south." God also said his descendents would bless all the people, and even blessed by the offspring of those children.
Now, dear ones, hear what the Lord God said next in this wonderful dream, "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." BOOM! This is the sermon material. This is the message many of us had to hear today. What could I possibly add to make this more understandable?
Jacob wakes up and his first thought, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and dang it, I was not aware of it." This thought scared him yet still he says, This is an awesome is this place! This is the home of God; this is the gate of Heaven. So, early the next morning Jacob takes the stone he had used as his pillow and sets it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He names the place, "God's House" which in his language is the name Bethel. Awesome!
PRAYER: Loving God, forgive us for those times we were so deep in Your presence and we were not aware of it; we are now! Let us enjoy that and let us spread Your promise that you are with us and watching over us. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Tell those who need to hear that God is with them that God is with them!
Receive my blessings of hope and love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
