August 25-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:20, By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
Observe what it is saying.
Just as Abraham acted with the promise of things to come, so did Isaac, his son. Isaac blessed his two sons in terms that looked into the distant future. His blessing to Jacob, Genesis 27:28-29, “May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness— an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.” And his blessing to Esau, Genesis 27:39-40, “Your dwelling will be away from the earth’s richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck.” The author says nothing about Jacob's deception of his old father where Isaac thought he was speaking to Esau. However, Isaac recognized that the blessing belonged to Jacob, and blessed Jacob with full knowledge of what he was doing. Nonetheless, the Hebrews author is not interested in such details. The point still stands that both of Isaac’s blessings concerned his sons’ future and the faith that undergirded the blessing. On each occasion Isaac spoke with a firm conviction that a blessing given in accordance with God's purposes could not possibly fail.
Relate it to your life
What blessing can I speak over my children and grandchildren containing the promises of God?
Do something.
Lord God, I ask that You will bring Your eternal life of blessings into each of my children and grandchildren. I trust and give thanks to You that it will be done. Amen.
August 26-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:21, By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
Observe what it is saying.
Jacob's claim for inclusion in the list rests on his blessing of his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh. Genesis 48:15-16, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm—may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth.” As with Isaac, the blessing went against the natural order of birth. In fact, when Jacob was dying, Joseph tried to have the major blessing given to Manasseh, the firstborn, but Jacob crossed his hands to pick out Ephraim as the greater. This incident, like yesterday’s, illustrates the theme of the patriarchal blessing with its fulfillment in the far distant. At the time the words were spoken, fulfillment could be known only by faith. The author adds a reference to the incident in which Jacob "worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff" to reveal Jacob’s blessing of his grandsons was considered an act of worship. We worship the Lord when we pronounce Godly blessings upon our kids!
Relate it to your life.
What is keeping me from pronouncing words of blessing over my children and grandchildren?
Do something.
Lord God, I pray the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) upon my family, “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.”
August 27-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:22, By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.
Observe what it is saying.
Joseph's faith, like that of his fathers, looked beyond death. Even though his prophetic words included instructions about his burial arrangements, he saw into the future and knew there would be a day when his people would leave Egypt and go home again. It reveals that in spite of current circumstances, he was able to see beyond and trust that God was in control and would fulfill the promise given to his great-grandfather, Abraham. Joseph's desire to be buried in Canaan is all the more remarkable when we remember that, apart from his first seventeen years, he spent his whole life in Egypt. However, he knew Canaan was the land for the people of God, so he wanted to be buried there among his people in his homeland. Even though he would never live there again, he had the foresight to communicate his desires that were built on his faith in God’s ability to keep His word.
Relate it to your life.
How often do I speak in faith about things God has promised that are not yet realized, and may not be realized in my life time?
Do something.
Lord God, help me to see the big picture of Your promises, trust You to fulfill every one of them, and boldly communicate such faith so others might believe. Amen.
August 28-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:23, By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
Observe what it is saying.
Like the others in this chapter, Moses was a stellar example of faith. However, his story begins with his parents. Long before Moses was called on by God, his parents were used by God to demonstrate faith in preserving him for his divine appointment. In the original account in Exodus, the role of Moses' mother receives all the attention, but the mother could not have hidden the child without the father's agreement. So, both parents were involved as this Scripture reveals. We’re told the parents hid Moses "because they saw he was no ordinary child." The Greek word that is used here means "beautiful" or perhaps "well-pleasing." This suggests that the child was so exceptionally beautiful that his parents believed that God had some special plan for him. The king's edict was for every male Hebrew child to be thrown into the Nile, and presumably, anyone who disobeyed would be severely punished. Because Moses' parents were people of faith, they hid their beautiful baby for three months, trusting God would defend them over the fear of what Pharaoh might do to them. They understood as powerful as the Egyptian leader was, there was a Leader of the universe who was sovereign over all earthly matters and would fulfill the divine purposes for their son.
Relate it to your life.
Do I believe that God is greater than all earthly leaders and that His plans will prevail, regardless, of how dark things become?
Do something.
Lord, remind me to keep looking up, far beyond all earthly leaders, to the highest Leader of all, to You, Sovereign Lord, Mighty and Glorious, Ruler of heaven and earth. Amen.
August 29-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:24-26, By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
Observe what it is saying.
Moses “refusing to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter" was an act of folly by worldly standards. He had available to him a place of great prestige and could have lived comfortably among the Egyptian aristocracy. But he gave it all up and accepted oppression as he aligned himself with God's very own people. "The pleasures of sin" implies that once he heard God's call, it would have been sin for him to turn away from it and stay with the Egyptians. There would have been pleasures, but they would have been enjoyed at the expense of disobeying God. Egypt’s sinful pleasures would have been purely temporary, whereas Moses’ faith led him to that which was eternal. He counted "the disgrace for the sake of Christ" as great riches. The author of Hebrews saw Christ being identified with the Godly leaders and prophets in Old Testament times. So, when Moses suffered, he suffered with Christ. This identification was meant to convince the audience that they were being called to participate in the same kind of experiences and attitudes that Moses had. Moses looked forward to his eternal reward.
Relate it to your life.
Like Moses, we have the choice to live for temporary earthly pleasures or live for Jesus and look forward to eternal pleasures.
Do something.
Jesus, give me the strength to reject living for this world, but to give my all to You so that I can enjoy a fantastic future filled with heavenly delight. Amen.
August 30-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:27-28, By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
Observe what it is saying.
After leaving Egypt, we are told the reason for Moses' perseverance is that "He saw him who is invisible." This ties back to the definition of faith at the beginning of the chapter. The Old Testament has a good deal to say about Moses' close relationship with God: "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." This close walk with God sustained Moses through his many difficult days. The final example of faith for Moses concerns the Passover. The verb "kept" can also be translated "instituted." Whichever translation we prefer, the striking thing is Moses' provision for its continuance: "For the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance". The author of Hebrews adds a reference to "the sprinkling of blood," which is a further illustration of faith. Nothing in the previous experience of the Israelites justified putting blood above the doors, but their faith was vindicated when "the destroyer of the firstborn" passed over them. Moses had nothing to go on but the conviction that God had directed him. Just because we have not had a previous personal experience to go by, that does not mean God is not calling and leading us on an adventurous faith journey.
Relate it to your life.
May I respond as Moses when called to go, serve, love, and give as never before.
Do something.
Jesus, here I am Lord, send and use me, as You so desire, for Your glory and eternal purposes. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:20, By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
Observe what it is saying.
Just as Abraham acted with the promise of things to come, so did Isaac, his son. Isaac blessed his two sons in terms that looked into the distant future. His blessing to Jacob, Genesis 27:28-29, “May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness— an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.” And his blessing to Esau, Genesis 27:39-40, “Your dwelling will be away from the earth’s richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck.” The author says nothing about Jacob's deception of his old father where Isaac thought he was speaking to Esau. However, Isaac recognized that the blessing belonged to Jacob, and blessed Jacob with full knowledge of what he was doing. Nonetheless, the Hebrews author is not interested in such details. The point still stands that both of Isaac’s blessings concerned his sons’ future and the faith that undergirded the blessing. On each occasion Isaac spoke with a firm conviction that a blessing given in accordance with God's purposes could not possibly fail.
Relate it to your life
What blessing can I speak over my children and grandchildren containing the promises of God?
Do something.
Lord God, I ask that You will bring Your eternal life of blessings into each of my children and grandchildren. I trust and give thanks to You that it will be done. Amen.
August 26-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:21, By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
Observe what it is saying.
Jacob's claim for inclusion in the list rests on his blessing of his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh. Genesis 48:15-16, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm—may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly on the earth.” As with Isaac, the blessing went against the natural order of birth. In fact, when Jacob was dying, Joseph tried to have the major blessing given to Manasseh, the firstborn, but Jacob crossed his hands to pick out Ephraim as the greater. This incident, like yesterday’s, illustrates the theme of the patriarchal blessing with its fulfillment in the far distant. At the time the words were spoken, fulfillment could be known only by faith. The author adds a reference to the incident in which Jacob "worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff" to reveal Jacob’s blessing of his grandsons was considered an act of worship. We worship the Lord when we pronounce Godly blessings upon our kids!
Relate it to your life.
What is keeping me from pronouncing words of blessing over my children and grandchildren?
Do something.
Lord God, I pray the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) upon my family, “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.”
August 27-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:22, By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.
Observe what it is saying.
Joseph's faith, like that of his fathers, looked beyond death. Even though his prophetic words included instructions about his burial arrangements, he saw into the future and knew there would be a day when his people would leave Egypt and go home again. It reveals that in spite of current circumstances, he was able to see beyond and trust that God was in control and would fulfill the promise given to his great-grandfather, Abraham. Joseph's desire to be buried in Canaan is all the more remarkable when we remember that, apart from his first seventeen years, he spent his whole life in Egypt. However, he knew Canaan was the land for the people of God, so he wanted to be buried there among his people in his homeland. Even though he would never live there again, he had the foresight to communicate his desires that were built on his faith in God’s ability to keep His word.
Relate it to your life.
How often do I speak in faith about things God has promised that are not yet realized, and may not be realized in my life time?
Do something.
Lord God, help me to see the big picture of Your promises, trust You to fulfill every one of them, and boldly communicate such faith so others might believe. Amen.
August 28-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:23, By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
Observe what it is saying.
Like the others in this chapter, Moses was a stellar example of faith. However, his story begins with his parents. Long before Moses was called on by God, his parents were used by God to demonstrate faith in preserving him for his divine appointment. In the original account in Exodus, the role of Moses' mother receives all the attention, but the mother could not have hidden the child without the father's agreement. So, both parents were involved as this Scripture reveals. We’re told the parents hid Moses "because they saw he was no ordinary child." The Greek word that is used here means "beautiful" or perhaps "well-pleasing." This suggests that the child was so exceptionally beautiful that his parents believed that God had some special plan for him. The king's edict was for every male Hebrew child to be thrown into the Nile, and presumably, anyone who disobeyed would be severely punished. Because Moses' parents were people of faith, they hid their beautiful baby for three months, trusting God would defend them over the fear of what Pharaoh might do to them. They understood as powerful as the Egyptian leader was, there was a Leader of the universe who was sovereign over all earthly matters and would fulfill the divine purposes for their son.
Relate it to your life.
Do I believe that God is greater than all earthly leaders and that His plans will prevail, regardless, of how dark things become?
Do something.
Lord, remind me to keep looking up, far beyond all earthly leaders, to the highest Leader of all, to You, Sovereign Lord, Mighty and Glorious, Ruler of heaven and earth. Amen.
August 29-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:24-26, By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
Observe what it is saying.
Moses “refusing to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter" was an act of folly by worldly standards. He had available to him a place of great prestige and could have lived comfortably among the Egyptian aristocracy. But he gave it all up and accepted oppression as he aligned himself with God's very own people. "The pleasures of sin" implies that once he heard God's call, it would have been sin for him to turn away from it and stay with the Egyptians. There would have been pleasures, but they would have been enjoyed at the expense of disobeying God. Egypt’s sinful pleasures would have been purely temporary, whereas Moses’ faith led him to that which was eternal. He counted "the disgrace for the sake of Christ" as great riches. The author of Hebrews saw Christ being identified with the Godly leaders and prophets in Old Testament times. So, when Moses suffered, he suffered with Christ. This identification was meant to convince the audience that they were being called to participate in the same kind of experiences and attitudes that Moses had. Moses looked forward to his eternal reward.
Relate it to your life.
Like Moses, we have the choice to live for temporary earthly pleasures or live for Jesus and look forward to eternal pleasures.
Do something.
Jesus, give me the strength to reject living for this world, but to give my all to You so that I can enjoy a fantastic future filled with heavenly delight. Amen.
August 30-Faith
Write out the Scripture.
Hebrews 11:27-28, By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
Observe what it is saying.
After leaving Egypt, we are told the reason for Moses' perseverance is that "He saw him who is invisible." This ties back to the definition of faith at the beginning of the chapter. The Old Testament has a good deal to say about Moses' close relationship with God: "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." This close walk with God sustained Moses through his many difficult days. The final example of faith for Moses concerns the Passover. The verb "kept" can also be translated "instituted." Whichever translation we prefer, the striking thing is Moses' provision for its continuance: "For the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance". The author of Hebrews adds a reference to "the sprinkling of blood," which is a further illustration of faith. Nothing in the previous experience of the Israelites justified putting blood above the doors, but their faith was vindicated when "the destroyer of the firstborn" passed over them. Moses had nothing to go on but the conviction that God had directed him. Just because we have not had a previous personal experience to go by, that does not mean God is not calling and leading us on an adventurous faith journey.
Relate it to your life.
May I respond as Moses when called to go, serve, love, and give as never before.
Do something.
Jesus, here I am Lord, send and use me, as You so desire, for Your glory and eternal purposes. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals