DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR TUESDAY JANUARY 11
WORD OF WISDOM
Chocolate is God's way of telling us he likes us a little bit chubby.
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DAILY DEVOTION
Forgiven
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for
his name's sake.
1 John 2:12
Could there be a sweeter word than the word forgiven? That glorious word
describes you and me if we have received the forgiveness Christ offers. The
sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross made it possible for God to wipe the
sins off of our account while still remaining righteous and holy. God could
offer us forgiveness because Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross
and because once we trust Him as our Savior, He stands as our heavenly
Advocate (1 John 2:1). Despite the pain and torment He was enduring, even on
the cross, Jesus was thinking of us rather than Himself. "Then said Jesus,
Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his
raiment, and cast lots" (Luke 23:34). We are not forgiven by God because we
deserve it. We are not forgiven because we earn it. We are forgiven because
Jesus paid the price for our sins. No matter how long we may have been saved
or how much we have done for God, we could never even begin to be worthy of
forgiveness. It only comes to us through Christ-"for His name's sake."
Having received that forgiveness, we are instructed to in turn to provide it
to others. "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32).
We do not have to think that people deserve forgiveness in order to offer it
to them. We only have to look in the mirror and see how God treated us, and
then treat others the same way. While a relationship cannot be fully
restored without issues being addressed, forgiveness can be granted at any
point-even without the other person's consent. We do not have to live with
bitterness and grudges toward those who have done us wrong. We can give up
our right to get even and let them off the hook. We can offer forgiveness in
the same way in which we received it-freely and graciously.
The forgiveness we have received from God places upon us a responsibility to
be forgiving to others.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Genesis 31-33 New King James Version
Jacob Flees from Laban
31 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken away
all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has acquired
all this wealth." 2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it
was not favorable toward him as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob,
"Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with
you."
4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock, 5 and
said to them, "I see your father's [a]countenance, that it is not favorable
toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. 6 And you
know that with all my might I have served your father. 7 Yet your father has
deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to
hurt me. 8 If he said thus: 'The speckled shall be your wages,' then all the
flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: 'The streaked shall be your
wages,' then all the flocks bore streaked. 9 So God has taken away the
livestock of your father and given them to me.
10 "And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my
eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks
were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted. 11 Then the Angel of God spoke to
me in a dream, saying, 'Jacob.' And I said, 'Here I am.' 12 And He said,
'Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are
streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is
doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and
where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to
the land of your family.' "
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, "Is there still any
portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? 15 Are we not
considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely
consumed our money. 16 For all these riches which God has taken from our
father are really ours and our children's; now then, whatever God has said
to you, do it."
17 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 And he
carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained,
his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his
father Isaac in the land of Canaan. 19 Now Laban had gone to shear his
sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household[b] idols that were her father's.
20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not
tell him that he intended to flee. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He
arose and crossed the river, and headed[c] toward the mountains of Gilead.
Laban Pursues Jacob
22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23 Then he took
his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days' journey, and he
overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. 24 But God had come to Laban the
Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, "Be careful that you speak to
Jacob neither good nor bad."
25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains,
and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.
26 And Laban said to Jacob: "What have you done, that you have stolen away
unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the
sword? 27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not
tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and
harp? 28 And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you
have done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in my power to do you harm, but
the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, 'Be careful that you
speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.' 30 And now you have surely gone
because you greatly long for your father's house, but why did you steal my
gods?"
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I said,
'Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.' 32 With whomever
you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren,
identify what I have of yours and take it with you." For Jacob did not know
that Rachel had stolen them.
33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, and into the two
maids' tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah's tent and
entered Rachel's tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the [d]household idols, put
them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. And Laban [e]searched all about
the tent but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, "Let it not
displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is
with me." And he searched but did not find the [f]household idols.
36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to
Laban: "What is my [g]trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly
pursued me? 37 Although you have searched all my things, what part of your
household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your
brethren, that they may judge between us both! 38 These twenty years I have
been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their
young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. 39 That which was torn
by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it
from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was! In
the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep
departed from my eyes. 41 Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I
served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your
flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 Unless the God of my
father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely
now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and
the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night."
Laban's Covenant with Jacob
43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, "These daughters are my daughters,
and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you
see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their
children whom they have borne? 44 Now therefore, come, let us make a
[h]covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me."
45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 Then Jacob said to
his brethren, "Gather stones." And they took stones and made a heap, and
they ate there on the heap. 47 Laban called it [i]Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob
called it [j]Galeed. 48 And Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you
and me this day." Therefore its name was called Galeed, 49 also Mizpah,[k]
because he said, "May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent
one from another. 50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives
besides my daughters, although no man is with us-see, God is witness between
you and me!"
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Here is this heap and here is this pillar,
which I have placed between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this
pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you
will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53 The God
of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us."
And Jacob swore by the [l]Fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered a
sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they
ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. 55 And early in the morning
Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban
departed and returned to his place.
Esau Comes to Meet Jacob
32 So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw
them, he said, "This is God's camp." And he called the name of that place
[m]Mahanaim.
3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of
Seir, the [n]country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, "Speak thus
to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: "I have dwelt with Laban and
stayed there until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female
servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your
sight." ' "
6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother
Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him."
7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that
were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. 8
And he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and [o]attacks it, then the
other company which is left will escape."
9 Then Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac,
the Lord who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I
will deal well with you': 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies
and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over
this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver
me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear
him, lest he come and [p]attack me and the mother with the children. 12 For
You said, 'I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the
sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.' "
13 So he lodged there that same night, and took what [q]came to his hand as
a present for Esau his brother: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male
goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milk camels with their
colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. 16
Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself,
and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put some distance
between successive droves." 17 And he commanded the first one, saying, "When
Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and
where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?' 18 then you shall
say, 'They are your servant Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord Esau;
and behold, he also is behind us.' " 19 So he commanded the second, the
third, and all who followed the droves, saying, "In this manner you shall
speak to Esau when you find him; 20 and also say, 'Behold, your servant
Jacob is behind us.' " For he said, "I will appease him with the present
that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will
accept me." 21 So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged
that night in the camp.
Wrestling with God
22 And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants,
and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. 23 He took them,
sent them [r]over the brook, and sent over what he had. 24 Then Jacob was
left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the [s]breaking of day. 25 Now
when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He [t]touched the socket of
his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with
him. 26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks."
But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!"
27 So He said to him, "What is your name?"
He said, "Jacob."
28 And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but [u]Israel;
for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."
29 Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray."
And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him
there.
30 So Jacob called the name of the place [v]Peniel: "For I have seen God
face to face, and my life is preserved." 31 Just as he crossed over
[w]Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. 32 Therefore to
this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is
on the hip socket, because He [x]touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the
muscle that shrank.
Jacob and Esau Meet
33 Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and
with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah,
Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2 And he put the maidservants and their
children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last.
3 Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven
times, until he came near to his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and
kissed him, and they wept. 5 And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and
children, and said, "Who are these with you?"
So he said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant." 6
Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7
And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward
Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.
8 Then Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?"
And he said, "These are to find favor in the sight of my lord."
9 But Esau said, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for
yourself."
10 And Jacob said, "No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight,
then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as
though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. 11 Please,
take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously
with me, and because I have [y]enough." So he urged him, and he took it.
12 Then Esau said, "Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before
you."
13 But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are weak, and the
flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive
them hard one day, all the flock will die. 14 Please let my lord go on ahead
before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that
go before me, and the children, [z]are able to endure, until I come to my
lord in Seir."
15 And Esau said, "Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with
me."
But he said, "What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my
lord." 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 And Jacob
journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made [aa]booths for his
livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called [ab]Succoth.
Jacob Comes to Canaan
18 Then Jacob came [ac]safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land
of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the
city. 19 And he bought the parcel of [ad]land, where he had pitched his
tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces
of money. 20 Then he erected an altar there and called it El[ae] Elohe
Israel.
Footnotes
Genesis 31:5 Lit. face
Genesis 31:19 Heb. teraphim
Genesis 31:21 Lit. set his face toward
Genesis 31:34 Heb. teraphim
Genesis 31:34 Lit. felt
Genesis 31:35 Heb. teraphim
Genesis 31:36 transgression
Genesis 31:44 treaty
Genesis 31:47 Lit., in Aram., Heap of Witness
Genesis 31:47 Lit., in Heb., Heap of Witness
Genesis 31:49 Lit. Watch
Genesis 31:53 A reference to God
Genesis 32:2 Lit. Double Camp
Genesis 32:3 Lit. field
Genesis 32:8 Lit. strikes
Genesis 32:11 Lit. strike
Genesis 32:13 he had received
Genesis 32:23 across
Genesis 32:24 dawn
Genesis 32:25 struck
Genesis 32:28 Lit. Prince with God
Genesis 32:30 Lit. Face of God
Genesis 32:31 Lit. Face of God; same as Peniel, v. 30
Genesis 32:32 struck
Genesis 33:11 Lit. all
Genesis 33:14 can stand
Genesis 33:17 shelters
Genesis 33:17 Lit. Booths
Genesis 33:18 Or to Shalem, a city of
Genesis 33:19 Lit. the field
Genesis 33:20 Lit. God, the God of Israel
