Author: Hal Hollister Ministry

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” Genesis 28:16

This blog is a continuation of yesterday’s conflict between Jacob and Esau. As Issac was getting older and closer to death, he told Esau to go hunting and prepare a special meal for him. Then he would pass his blessing on to Esau.

Rebekah heard this conversation and conspired with Jacob to prepare one of Issac’s favorite meals and disguise Jacob to look like Esau and trick Issac into giving his blessing to Jacob.

The conspiracy worked and Issac blessed Jacob. Esau came back from hunting and was furious when he heard what had happened and threatened to kill Jacob.

Jacob was forced to flee from his homeland and go live with Laban, his uncle. On his way to Laban’s land, the Lord appeared to Jacob in a dream and passed the everlasting covenant He had made with Abraham and Issac on to Jacob.

Jacob awoke and responded “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

God blessed Jacob but he had to pay a steep price for his deceit in dealing with Esau and Issac. Jacob ended up working 20 years for Laban who was dishonest, acted treacherously in offering his daughters as wives to Jacob, and changed Jacob’s wages many times.

The whole point of this story is Jacob fell into unbelief and took his eyes off God and placed them on the circumstances in his life. God was planning all along to make Jacob the heir to the covenant He had made with Abraham.

Before Jacob and Esau were even born the Lord spoke to Rebekah and told her two nations are in your womb in the form of two people and one people shall be stronger than the other and the older shall serve the younger.

Jacob and Rebekah compromised the plan of God and took matters in their own hands. This caused a lot of suffering and misery for all involved.

What you and I can learn from this story is God is perfect and His ways are perfect. He doesn’t want you to resort to dishonesty, deceit, or impure motives to attain His blessings.

God wants you to place your unwavering faith in His promises and to wait on Him!

Thought for the day: “I want to be your Keeper and guide your footsteps. You get sidetracked when you step out on your own and take matters into your own hands. Wait on Me and I will show you My perfect plan for your life.”

Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Genesis 25:29-33

In ancient times, the birthright was given to the oldest son. This story about Jacob and Esau illustrates the motives of twin brothers concerning their birthright. Esau owns the birthright but Jacob wants it for himself.

Jacob realized the importance of a birthright which would give him an inheritance and a better position in life. He schemed to get Esau to sell him his birthright for a bowl of soup.

Looking at this from a spiritual perspective, Jacob understood the value of the everlasting covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants and wanted to be in line to inherit this blessing from God.

Esau did not value his birthright. He believed in doing whatever to satisfy his immediate needs. He was tired and hungry and the bowl of soup was what he wanted. Esau’s attitude was “take the short cut and get what you want and forget about the repercussions from God”.

When you are first born you have no spiritual birthright. Your inner nature is in conflict against God and you have a desire to live for self. In reality, you are a slave to sin with no way of escape.

You receive a spiritual birthright by making a decision for Jesus. This allows you to be His heir and entitled to the fullness of His life.

Your commitment to Jesus should have no hidden motives or be an attempt to try and use God to get something for yourself. It really comes down to having a genuine and pure relationship with God and valuing Him for who He is.

Live in your birthright trusting God for your every need. Don’t take the easy way out! He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him out!

Thought for the day: “Your birthright with Me is eternal and entitles you to My abundant life. Don’t sell yourself short with Me. I will do for you what you can never do for yourself.”

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

The heart of the matter in a relationship with Jesus is about living out His life through you. It is not about feeling or expressing an emotional love for Jesus or trying to show your love to Him by doing things.

The deep and piercing hurt of the cross is denying yourself and living for God. Jesus is not really concerned about your feelings for Him because they will betray you. They are temperamental and will change with your moods.

To be an effective witness for Jesus, you have to give up the right to yourself and allow God to invade every aspect of your life. God has to replace your personality with His.

“Whoever believes in Me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38

Walking with God is not about fulfilling your expectations or achieving a specific outcome. It is about merging your personality with God and becoming a powerful light for Him. He also wants you to be obedient to Him at all costs.

You confess Jesus before men not with a natural affinity but by the power of His Spirit. People see God at work in you through your words, emotions, actions, and demeanor. The Living Water flows out of you and draws people to Jesus.

The cost of discipleship is expensive. You have to give up your life for Jesus. If you choose to go all out for God, He will create a new creature in Christ Jesus through the powerful conviction and precise molding of His Spirit. You will be awestruck by the Living God if you let Him have His way with you!

Thought for the day: “To be like Me you have to give up the right to yourself and live for Me. When you become willing to die to self you will see my splendor and glory. I will take you to high places and give you more than you ask or think!”

“One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:4-5

Life has its ups and downs. There are seasons of overflowing goodness and seasons of deprivation.

The hand of God is over your life. He creates and changes the seasons in your life. You can’t control the will of God for your life but you can seek out almighty God everyday of your life regardless of the season.

The consistency of your faith makes God happy. You honor Him for who He is and not relate the character of God to the conditions of your life.

God is perfect and He never changes. Like David, God wants you to dwell with Him all the days of your life and experience His beauty and radiant glory. God inhabits the praises of His people!

You dwell with God through prayer, praise, and filling yourself with His Word. You make a commitment to live for Him each day and you reach out to His temple and inquire of God for wisdom and protection.

When troubles come into your life, God promise to hide you in His tabernacle and to lift you up on a high rock.

God looks upon the oppressed and needy. He hears the cries of your heart. He will arise and set you in the safety for which you desire.

God is a promise keeper!

Thought for the day: “I rescue My people! Trust Me for who I am! I will never let you down. I am a God of glory and power.”

“O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.” Psalm 16:5-6

An inheritance is a gift you receive from someone else. The inheritance from God is the gift of eternal life. Jesus has given you all of His life and filled you with the Holy Spirit. This inheritance begins to come to you immediately upon making a decision for Jesus.

In this verse in Psalm 16 the “cup” is symbolic of your life and your “lot” is the essence of your being. David is praising God for maintaining and protecting his life. The “lines” are the boundaries around your life and your future with God.

Like David you have an excellent inheritance if you are a believer! The challenge is to be in oneness with God and draw out the Living Water one day at a time.

Jesus lives in you in the essence of the Holy Spirit and His inheritance is new each day. Ask for His love, joy, and peace to fill you and His strength to sustain you and help you meet every challenge in your life.

Don’t live today in a void! Commit your works to God and He will establish His thoughts in you. He will give you wisdom and guidance in both the little and big details of your life. No problem is too big for God!

Your inheritance is available to you today! You don’t have to die to participate in the goodness of God. Walk by faith today and reach out to God for your every need.

He lives so you can live today!

Thought for the day: “ I live in the moment! Make Me your living reality. I want to prosper you and keep you safe. I have overcome the world and nothing can defeat Me. I am your only hope. Live out My inheritance!”

 

“Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.” Psalm 16:1

At times God uses a spiritual therapy of making you look at your past. This can cause sorrow and misgiving over what you missed out on living without God.

I myself have been filled with regret many times over how I blew it with God and did not allow His goodness to fill my life particularly in my early years. I have said to myself many times “If only I could relive this portion of my life” but you can only learn from your mistakes and go on with a new approach to life.

Don’t be fearful or shut out God when He wants you to explore your past. This might lead to asking God to forgive you and heal the feelings from the past.

You own all of your past both the good and the bad. It is an indication of how much you need God. Learn from your past!

How can God change your past into His glory? Jesus is the perfect example of the transfiguring power of God to show His radiant glory. This miracle can also happen to you.

The transfiguring quality of God will take the essence of everything in your life including your past, present, and future and mold you into a new creature in Christ Jesus. You will be transfigured and people will see the glory of God in you.

God purposes to use all things in your life to draw you to Him so let your past be a building block to walking with God.

You can’t open the closed doors from the past but God wants to show you new doors leading to His abundant life. Let God be God and have His way in your life. His methods are perfect!

Thought for the day: “I know you better than you know yourself. Your past will add to My glory because you will see Me for who I really am and you will have a greater desire for more of My life.”

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy” Psalm 33:18

How can you get the attention of God? This will only happen to those who fear God. Fearing God is a recognition of His character of greatness and power and that your only hope is in His name. You fear Him with a desire to live an upright life and seek Him out for your every need.

Fearing God is placing your hope in God and not the world. It is a deep acceptance in your heart that you will live with God forever and He will keep you safe through the crisis and troubles in the world.

Fearing God is waiting on Him with steadfast faith and trust in His promises. It is a deep understanding in your heart that God is your help and protector.

Fearing God is the knowledge that He is a God of retribution. He blesses and He curses. It is a priority in your heart to be in His will at all times and covered by His hand of protection and mercy.

You can rejoice in God at all times because He is worthy of your praise. Place your hope in God and His mercy will fall upon you!

He is everlasting!

Thought for the day: “I look at you through My eyes of mercy and tender love. Come to Me for I am your only hope in the world. The earth will fade away but My Words will endure forever. I am life and hope eternal.”

 

“Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.” Hebrews 3:9

The heart of God is looking for your faith in Him. It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you live, or the circumstances in your life.

Faith is placing your trust in God without any proof or evidence of His presence. You can be facing a disaster, in the middle of a crisis, or lacking money to meet your basic needs. Your life might be upside down with no hope in sight.

You don’t look at your life to find faith. You accept and believe in the promises of God. Think about the Israelites who were rescued by the mighty hand of God and personally witnessed the power of God at work. They saw with their own eyes the signs and wonders of God!

However the faith of the Israelites crumbled and they fell into unbelief. They looked at the conditions of their life and forgot about the promises of God. They were taken on what seemed like a journey to nowhere and lacked food, security, and stability. They turned away from God and sought out other gods. The Israelites believed in what they could see and complained they were better in slavery than their present situation. They gave up on God and most of them died in the desert and never entered the Promised Land.

Today God is calling you to trust Him implicitly without any sign or proof. Faith is believing in what you cannot see and trusting God for your every need. Without faith you cannot please God!

Faith is accepting that your life today is under the perfect control of God and not questioning His judgment or wisdom. God wants your faith to be steadfast in Him and to find your encouragement and hope in His Word.

He will never fail you. The promises of God are eternal!

Thought for the day: “Faith is keeping your eyes on Me and breathing in My abundant life. Don’t judge Me based on your concept of time. I work on an eternal clock.”

 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

The penalty of sin is death both in your life today and in your future. Sin left unchecked causes some of the precious life of Jesus to seep out of your body.

Sin quenches or diminishes the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside you. In reality, you are forsaking the work of Jesus on the cross and choosing to live for self. Sin reduces the vibrancy of life and leads to misery and destruction.

You can’t get completely away from sin but what God dislikes most is “unmitigated” sin. This is a pattern of behavior which is not lessened or changed. Your habits and thinking patterns can fall into the category of unmitigated sin. In essence, you are consciously allowing sin to continue in your life and you are rejecting or minimizing the consequences of your actions.

God hates sin but He also knows you can never be completely free from it. This is why He sacrificed His Son for you. The blood of Jesus forgives and restores you to God and His resurrected Spirit will transform you into a godly person and prevent you from becoming entangled in sin.

God is merciful and gentle dealing with your sin if you have a humble and willing heart to change your actions. God is simply asking for you to open your heart up to Him and ask His Spirit to reveal anything in your life that is not of Him. Then it becomes God’s responsibility to change you into a new person and implant His virtue in your heart.

The response to dealing with sin is to be yoked to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and you will be set free from sin leading to death. The Holy Spirit lives in you so take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ! He lives so you can live!

Thought for the day:  “I will do for you what you cannot do for yourself. Just be yourself and have an open heart to Me. I died so you can live. It is not by might nor by strength but by My Spirit.”

“Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1

The goal of God is for you to abandon yourself completely to Him and live your life dedicated to Him. This is an example of a “spent offering” where you are willing to spend all of yourself for God.

The definition of spent is “having been used up, consumed, or finished”. In a spiritual context, God wants you to spend everything you have on Him and hold nothing back.

God wants you to give Him all of your heart, mind, and soul. He wants you to reach the point where you wake up each day with a desire to live and move have your being in Him.

To make this sacrificial offering to God, you have to give up the right to yourself and have an attitude of “Here I am Lord, take me and use me for your purposes”.

This is the expression of real love for God. You have put your faith into action with a heart filled desire to please the person of Jesus Christ. You have placed God above your own desires and hopes. Your single purpose is to be in union with Him at all times.

This sacrificial offering will bring you face to face with the Living God and you will see His glory and power. There is nothing in the world that compares to the presence of almighty God. He is a holy and perfect God filled with greatness and majesty!

Thought for the day: “Come to Me and see who I am. Do not be afraid to give yourself to Me. I will show you My greatness and bless you abundantly.”