Here is a morning prayer for John Baillie to start the week:“ETERNAL Father of my soul, let my first thought today be of you, let my first impulse be to worship you, let my first word be your Name, let my first action be to kneel before you in prayer.
Read MoreHere is another prayer of John Baillie to finish the week: “O LORD, you are the Lord of the night as you are of the day, and all the stars are obedient to your will. In this hour of darkness, I too submit my will to yours.
Read More“God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” (Gen. 28:3-4).
Read MoreThis is the vow Jacob made after the LORD appeared to him in a vision on his way to Paddan-aram. The LORD affirmed Isaac’s blessing on Jacob and promised to be with him and bring him back safely to the promised land. Oh, how he needed this assurance from God at that time! He was able to successfully take away Esau’s blessing with his deceitful scheme. But that put him in a precarious situation with Esau, to say the least, so much so that he had to flee home for safety. Was it worth it? He must have questioned himself in that lonely moment. At that time, the LORD assured him that he was the chosen heir to His covenant with Abraham and Isaac. And when he felt all alone, He promised to be with Him to protect him wherever he went! How wonderful and gracious God is!
Read MoreThen Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.” (Gen. 27:39-40).
Read MoreHere is another prayer of John Baillie’s to start the week: “GLORY to you, O Lord my King! In love and awe I greet you at the beginning of another day! I give you all my praise and love and loyalty, O Lord most high!
Read MoreHere is another prayer of John Baillie to end the week: “ALMIGHTY and blessed God, you have never left yourself without a witness on earth. In every age you have great stuff holy and prophetic people to lead us into the way of faith and love. I praise your name for the gift of your holy apostle Saint Paul. Thank you for the zeal you gave him to carry the lamp of truth, already lit in the East, into the Western world.
Read MoreYesterday, we saw that this benediction was an official means by which Isaac intended to hand down the covenant of Abraham to the next generation. (He intended to pass it down to Esau [against God’s will] but it was given to Jacob according to God’s will.) It is no surprise, then, that this benediction is a reiteration of, and elaboration on, God’s covenant with Abraham. We can divide this benediction into two categories: prosperity (vv. 27-8) and dominion (v. 29).
Read MoreAs we reflect on Isaac’s benediction, we see that it was not just a long list of things he wanted his heir to have and enjoy in this life. This benediction, for which Jacob was willing to do anything (including deceiving his father), is relatively short in length. Was it worth all that he risked? When his deception was discovered, he had to flee from Esau for fear that his brother might kill him for stealing his blessing!
Read MoreSo he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed! 28 May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” (Gen. 27:27-29)
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